#Volume 1: The Shining Beacon

[bobauthorman]

First shot of Team RWBY (And only Team RWBY) per Volume.

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 115

Part 1 Part 114

Will could tell they were coming well before his bedroom door opened, both their presences shining like a beacon, brighter and brighter the closer they came.

It’s still a surprise to see their faces. Eddie looks excited enough to be verging on manic, the same way he does when there’s a particularly juicy twist in a campaign he’s been planning out. In contrast, Steve looks almost grave. Not worried, but something serious in the slant of his mouth as Eddie tugs him inside and shuts the door.

“What’s going on?” Will asks, looking between the pair for clues, and finding none.

“Nothing serious,” Steve replies. He commandeers Will’s desk chair while Eddie flops into the bed beside Will, wriggling around until he’s stollen all the covers and wrapped them around himself like a human burrito.

“We’ve just got something to tell ya,” Eddie continues, beaming up at Will.

Neither of them continues, so Will looks back and forth between them. Eddie’s eyes are downright twinkling, while Steve stares at the side of Eddie’s head, glaring.

“Fine,” Steve grumbles, finally turning to meet Will’s eyes. “Eddie and I are dating.”

Will nods, maintaining eye contact as he waits for Steve to keep talking. He doesn’t. “That’s it?”

Eddie squawks,  slithering up in bed, still so swaddled in blankets that he looks formless. “What do you mean, that’s it?” he demands, elbowing Will in the ribs, but it’s through all the blankets so Will barely feels it.

“Weren’t you guys already dating?”

Eddie’s mouth is hanging open, formless consonants leaking out of him. Steve steeples his fingers and leans forward, elbows on knees.

“It’s just, Eddie said—”

Eddie wriggles his arm free just in time to slap it over Will’s mouth with an awkward laugh. “Shut, up, Baby Byers,” he hisses, a faux smile on his face.

Steve leans back in the chair, lets his hands land loosely on the armrests. He’s smirking like there’s a canary in his mouth, and for the first time, Will can almost see the cool guy everyone acts like Steve is.

Not the real kind of cool that Steve actually is, but the kind who’d throw parties, and sit on a high school throne he hadn’t even built himself.

“What did you say, Eddie?” he asks, still smirking, and oh, is this flirting?

Will contorts his body until he’s free of Eddie’s silencing hand. “He said he was in love with you,” Will says.

Eddie sags into himself with a groan, burying his face into the blanket he’s still wrapped in. He looks like a pill bug, the only flesh visible a little bit of one of his ankles. Will pokes it and Eddie jerks, raising his head just enough to pout at Will.

“Is that so,” Steve says, but it’s not phrased like a question. Will answers it anyway.

“He said you looked like an angel in the Upside-Down, when we saw all those lights at my house for the first time?” Will feels his own face blushing as he remembers the way the lights had shone down on Steve, painted him in gold like it was his birthright.

Steve’s not smirking anymore, he’s gone all weird and gooey in the face. It only gets worse when Eddie makes a whining noise.

“Is that where the nickname came from?” he mutters quietly enough that it barely carries to Will’s ears. When Steve starts speaking again, it’s at his normal volume. “Wait, where was I for this?”

Eddie sits up at that, uncocooning himself enough to free his arms but keeping it over his head like an extremely unfashionable cloak.

“Uh…” he starts, shifting forward to stare into Steve’s eyes. “You were possessed?”

Steve grimaces, and all Kingly posturing falls away as he slumps back into the chair, crossing his arms in a way that looks more like a hug. Eddie must think so, too, because he latches onto Steve’s pantleg with grabby fingers and pulls until Steve settles onto Will’s bed with them.

“Were there any witnesses to this little declaration?” Steve asks, not meeting anyone’s eyes.

“Just Mom and Uncle Wayne,” Will replies.

Steve nods, slow as he meets Will’s gaze. “…and your Mom was.”

“She doesn’t care,” Will cuts in. Steve lets out a relieved breath that Will feels in his bones. He’d felt that worry when she’d let out a shocked gasp at Eddie’s declaration, had felt it wither away when he’d seen her hopeful face. “She just wanted you back.”

“We all did,” Eddie cuts in, throwing his stolen blanket over Steve’s shoulders, Will nestled between them both. “And we thought maybe trying to reach you in there would work?”

Steve laughs, but it’s all wet and choked up in itself. “And you said you were in love with me?” Steve asks. He reaches around Will to smooth down Eddie’s mussed bangs, the one cheek Will can see from his angle turning a light pink. “That’s so embarrassing for you.”

Eddie grumbles but leans into Steve’s touch all the time. “Well, it worked, didn’t it?” he asks. “We could feel you in there. You must’ve heard us.”

Will cranes himself away to look at Steve’s face, compromising the integrity of their ramshackle blanket fort enough that he tears it off Eddie and Steve entirely.

Steve doesn’t seem to have even noticed. His eyes are distant, glazed over like he’s looking at something else entirely.

Will never wants to see that distance on Steve Harrington’s face ever again, not after black smoke and a Steve that isn’t, so he tugs on their connection, and he comes back alive.

“I think I heard some of it?” he says, holding the palm of his hand to his ear like he’s listening to the ocean. He goes distant again, but Will’s pretty sure he’s just trying to remember, so he resists the temptation to pull him free. “What did everyone else say?”

Eddie reaches out and links his pinkie with Steve’s. “Oh, the same sappy shit we’ve all said to your face,” Eddie replies, but he’s smiling. “Baby Byers acted like it was his job to save you, and fawned over you like you’re some goddamn action hero.”

“Hey!” Will cries, but Steve’s laughing, so he doesn’t mind, especially not when Steve tugs on him this time, beaming at him like he’s a revelation.

“Uncle Wayne, the cantankerous old man that he is, said you were like a son to him.”

“Mom just asked you to come home,” Will cuts in. Steve’s eyes are shining.

“And I declared my undying love to you in front of all and sundry,” Eddie finishes, rearranging their linked pinkies so he can tangle the rest of their fingers together as well.

“You’re all so embarrassing,” Steve says, but he reaches out and bully’s Will into his arms. Eddie, never one to turn down a hug, worms his way into the situation immediately and applies enough pressure to make both their ribs creak.

They stay like that for a long time, until Mom calls, “boys, breakfast!” from somewhere in the house.

Eddie’s the first to let go with a contented sigh, scrabbling up off Will’s. He’s skipped halfway out the door before either of them has even stood up.  

“Has Mama Byers learned to cook since the last time we were here?” Eddie asks, leaning back in to grin cheekily at Will. “I don’t know if I’m in the mood for eggs that are somehow rubbery and watery at the same time.”

Part 116

[usnatarchives]

Hammerin' Hank Greenberg: A Legacy Beyond Baseball 🔨⚾

This May, as we celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month, we shine a spotlight on Hank Greenberg. Known affectionately as "Hammerin' Hank," Greenberg's journey from the Bronx streets to the grand stadiums of Major League Baseball encapsulates the spirit of the American Dream. His storied career with the Detroit Tigers not only earned him a place among baseball legends, but also made him a beacon of hope and pride amid widespread discrimination against the Jewish community.

A five-time All-Star and two-time MVP, his exploits on the field were nothing short of legendary. The highlight reel of his career includes the breathtaking near-miss of Babe Ruth's home run record in 1938 when Greenberg hammered 58 homers. More than just statistics, these feats were a beacon of excellence at a time when antisemitism cast a long shadow over America and much of the world.

Greenberg's legacy was carved not only by his bat, but also by his staunch identity as a Jewish American. His decision to observe Yom Kippur and sit out a critical game during the 1934 pennant race spoke volumes, resonating far beyond the Jewish community and becoming a symbolic act of faith and identity.

World War II saw Greenberg’s values in action again as he traded his baseball uniform for an Army uniform following Pearl Harbor. His nearly four-year service interrupted what could have been the most productive years of his career, yet he returned to deliver one of the most dramatic moments in sports, a grand slam to secure the pennant for the Tigers in 1945.

His 1956 induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame celebrated not just a stellar playing career, but also his enduring influence as a symbol of courage and a breaker of barriers. This Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor Hank Greenberg: a man who swung his bat with the strength of a titan and stood for his community and his country with unwavering pride and bravery.

Additional Resources at the National Archives:

[haz3-daz3]

Thank you for the opportunity! How about this idea?: Team RWBY do something for reader who is heart broken when her friends from before Beacon don't call her for her birthday for the second time.

I sure can do that!

I must warn you that since Rubes in the first volumes almost has no characterization besides liking weapons and being a tad awkward around people so im gonna have to add a few tidbits to her personality.

Ok but how have they not touched on Ruby being an expert weapons maker at the age of a middle schooler???

‘nough tangent, headcanon time!

(btw it turned out to be so long so I’ll have to do a Part 2 for this)

Platonic!Team RWBY x Reader Part 1

Ruby Rose

Ruby isn't exactly close with you but you did have conversations with her from time to time in the mess hall during lunch break or going between Professors Oobleck and Mulberry’s classes. Mostly her giving you weapon tips because she’s read about almost every weapons magazine out there.

So imagine her surprise when she found you absent during lunch, you never miss weapon upkeeping discussions! Well, mostly because she needs your notes and she forgot to take hers earlier (Weiss gave her coffee at night and she could not sleep. Dammit Weiss.)

Ruby zipped around, maybe hit a few too many people in the process in her haste and later found you in one of the empty rooms. Specifically, hiding underneath the teacher’s desk. Sniffling? Eh??

“Y/N what are you doing here?” She asked in that sing-songy childish voice of hers, peeking from above the desk into your self-made isolation space. Silver eyes wide with concern and curiosity, brows furrowed.

“N-Nothing.” You tried, though when you saw Ruby pout that cute pout of hers you already know you failed that conversation check.

Coming down to where you sat on the floor, she gently took hold of your hand that had been precariously holding your knee.

“Hey, c’mon. You know you can talk to me about stuff besides weapons.” She cooed, her already gentle voice impossibly gentler now. Maybe it was the quiet, or your tears blurring your vision, but you swore you could see her eyes brim with genuine concern. Probably a trick of the eye but maybe…you can tell her. Ruby wasn’t the Cardin type of person after all.

“It’s my birthday today, and my friends before Beacon didn’t…” You sniffled, revealing your other, unheld hand that was holding your Scroll open, your inbox as empty as this musty-aired classroom.

“Oh.” Ruby sounded, then she realized how dumb she sounded and shook her head, red-tinged fringes swaying. “Why didn’t you tell me or Yang? We could’ve prepared something for your birthday!”

“Well—” You proceed to go on a tangent about Ruby seeming more interested in weapons and you didn’t want to bother or pressure her into talking or interacting you outside of that, because hey, what’s a grade-skipper who’s smarter and better than you gonna do with your mediocre self? And Yang? Well, Yang already has so many friends, she’s the popular one of course. Why would someone so radiant spare a moment for dull old you?

“Eh?” Ruby snorted. “I only talked about weapons with you because you wanted my help didn’t you? Do you remember asking me how I kept Crescent Rose in tip top shape and we disassembled her?” The youngster with silver eyes exclaimed, very animatedly making shapes in the air. “And I’ve told Yang about you and she said she was cool with meeting you! But you never did take our invitations to that boba place…”

Okay so maybe you’re a dummy.

Though before you could dwell more on it, Ruby huffed and dragged you out of the desk, saying something about calling her older sister and bringing you to that boba place she’s been hinting at in your previous conversations now that you thought about it.

“I’m not gonna let my friend celebrate her birthday alone!” Ruby announced, sure of herself, the leader in her shining brightly than the idea of her finding you boring. Glad to see that Yang’s method of comforting her worked on you.

“I…Thank you.” You finally cracked a smile.

Ruby is satisfied.

And then you spent the latter afternoon standing beside a very bubbly and chattery blonde older sister while her younger half sister with the too-big weapon debated with herself about whether she wanted matcha or chocolate AND if she should add whipped cream, finding it totally normal to mix boba with whipped cream.

“Haha, I tell you, Ruby’s the reason why we keep at least three boxes of sugar cubes back in Patch!” Yang grinned, hip on her hand, not at all minding the growing line behind you two.

“Ughhh, I can’t decide! What would you want?” Ruby turned to you, all smiles despite the impatience around.

In the end, you both got the same drink with lots of people sighing in relief after the three of you sat down a table with the window view on the second floor. Was it a terribly awkward situation? Yes.

But at least today didn’t turn out so bad.

Weiss Schnee

Ugh.

A heeled boot tapped rhythmically on the paved-concrete sidewalk; the snowflake heir purest against the backdrop of a cityscape as she waited and waited, already used to the loop of impatient tapping while as she shifted her weight.

You were late. Moreso than usual but at least in previous occasions you were only late a minute, not a full hour!

She’s got your messages open, she’s been texting but nooo you’re not replying, not even a seen! What kind of hang out is this? Are you snubbing her? Did she snub you another time? Are you mad?

Oh no, what if you were really mad?

She’s been reaching for your teammates too and even they don’t know where you were, which was strange because you always told people where you went so they’d stop being so surprised at the fact that you’re on top of a mountain and that you can see Weiss’s dorm and dormmates with your telescope.

“Bird watching she said, I’ll help you, she said.” Weiss sighed, tipping the poor waiter that’s been giving her service water for the past hour because she refuses to buy a drink without you.

Okay, let’s see…if you’re not at your dorm, at that camping spot or even in one of the cabins of those mountains (she sent Ruby on an errand and now that airheaded leader of hers is apparently enjoying the cocoa the cabin owners offered to hikers since it was cold up) then maybe…

And then Weiss remembered that one conversation she had with you. “Hey Weiss, you ever been in one caves of where Jaune and Pyrrha encountered that Death Stalker? It’s pretty wild in there, wanna go there next time?”

…

Ugh.

A quick message to Jaune about the location (he is so easy) and hey look at that, coordinates. She would’ve tracked your coordinates but you were a fan of being under the grid so tracking you down wasn’t easy.

In fact, YOU do the tracking. Weiss still remembers the first time the two of you met. Was it hectic? Moreso than Ruby if you could believe it. But did she have fun?

She’ll never tell you. Bleh. Never tell you how you somehow made a terrible day of being blown up by some sneezing dolt somewhat better when you offered to help her clean up. Never tell you that you were probably the first person who didn't look at her like she was a rich girl, but a person.

In your dreams!

A few Semblance glyph-assisted travelling minutes later, she’s at that cave you mentioned.

Musty, dark, thank goodness for fire Dust that she can tip Myrtenaster with and use as some makeshift torch. Was it an insulting thought? Y e s.

But she’s here for you so she’ll try not to think about it too much.

It didn’t take long to find you surprisingly, but then again you weren’t trying to hide that well, sitting down near a pond, glowing, Dust infused plant life around to serve as some blue tinged nightlight.

“So, this is where you’ve been for the past hour.” Weiss huffed, extinguishing the flames with a smaller version of her normal glyphs. Around you were your gear and weapon, scattered, so unlike the usual meticulousness she sort of admired about you. She totally didn’t adopt your tidiness, totally didn’t take your advice to heart about keeping her Dust supplies more secure because those glass jars weren’t as secure as she thought. Explains why she blew up when Ruby sneezed.

Weiss decided to sit down with you, her scarred eye in view.  But she didn’t really feel the need to hide it when it’s just you and her.

“So, are you going to explain why you never showed up for our weekly café parley or not?”

Weiss watched your expression real closely, trying to gauge whatever was wrong the way Winter did when they were both younger. The way sometimes Whitley did to her. Except unlike Whitley, Winter didn’t actually just sit there and stare.

“Well?”

“I was hoping the second time might’ve been different.” You finally said. A vague reply, but at least you replied. Weiss sensed you weren’t finished so she stayed quiet and leaned over, telling you she’s listening without telling you outright.

“You know how I told you I grew up with a bunch of kids and we trained under this guy who was very much the Survivalist type? They…didn’t call. Just like they didn’t call last year.”

“Is today important?” She asked, tone a tad too unfriendly than she would’ve liked. It wasn’t on purpose it’s just…

“Today’s my birthday.”

…

Weiss looked mortified, “I’m so sorry—”

You laughed, but the sound sounded so hollow. Not at all the mirthful laugh when you taught her about bird types, she could try to practice summoning like the ones Winter did. Not at all the type you let out whenever she ranted to you about Ruby’s dummy tendencies, Blake’s anti-socialness or Yang’s recklessness.

“It’s okay, I didn’t tell you to be fair. And you didn’t ask either so…”

That made Weiss feel worse, true you weren’t teammates or even classmates in most classes, but she still considered you a friend, the fact that she apparently never asked you your birthday in so long in your friendship reminded her she still wasn’t so good at this friendship thing. She's relieved you weren't angry or hurt by whatever careless action or word she said, but the fact that you were sad didn't sit right with her. Why would it?

And because of that...

You had to take a second to look when you suddenly felt something warm wrap around your hand. Soft. Unblemished and smooth. Not the type of hands that have worked a day in their life. And yet…it was earnest.

“I want to spend time you today.”

…huh.

“This is the cave you told me I could find a rarer type of Dust, right? Then show me. I want the you who’s loud and happy whenever you tell me about your crazy survival stories.”

Was Weiss aware of the fact that she was blushing in embarrassment? Probably not.

Nonetheless, you smiled.

[kyraxyrespace]

Evolution of White Knight in RWBY (Volume 1)

To begin our tale of their relationship evolution, we must begin from Volume 1. Episode 1.03 “The Shining Beacon, Pt. 2” had the two “meetings.” Weiss, sarcastically, pointed to Jaune while talking about “cute boys,” something Jaune perks up at. He attempts to flirt with her, but she is not in the mood. Not a good start for this relationship.

Episode 1.04 “The First Step” Jaune interrupts a discussion between Pyrrha and Weiss, flirting with the latter girl. Weiss shows annoyance at being flirted with, and it’s in this episode that Jaune drops his nickname for the girl “Snow Angel.” Although he flirts with Pyrrha a bit, Jaune’s main focus is Weiss, especially trying to get on the same team as her. Their discussion ends with Pyrrha throwing a spear at him that lodges him to the wall. A discussion with Yang seconds later reveals that he was following his father’s footsteps about “all women look for is confidence.” This indicates his good intentions, if only a bit wayward.

Episode 1.05 ��The First Step, Pt. 2” has a brief moment between the two. While Weiss is walking away from Ruby, annoyed to be her partner under Ozpin’s rule of the first person you make eye contact with is your partner for the duration of your time at Beacon Academy, she comes across Jaune who is stuck to a tree thanks to Pyrrha. He waves at her weakly, but she turns on her heel and returns to Ruby, accepting the girl as the lesser of two evils.

Episode 1.08 “Players and Pieces” is when the two get another moment together. As Weiss falls from the sky after jumping off a Nevermore, Jaune sees his opportunity and leaps from his place in the tree, catching her mid-air. He attempts for a suave, “Just dropping in?”, but, in Looney Tunes style, the two fall from the sky, Weiss landing on Jaune with a mocking, “My hero.”

Episode 1.10 “The Badge and the Burden, Pt. 2” has another very brief moment between the two. After Weiss defeats the Boarbatusk in class and stalks away angrily, Jaune makes a comment about what is up with her. This could just be Miles trying to get Jaune in every episode (he joked about this in Volume 1’s director commentary), or it can be seen as Jaune interested in Weiss’ state of mind.

Episode 1.14 “Forever Fall, Pt. 2” has Weiss preparing to intervene in a fight between Jaune and an Ursa Major until Pyrrha stops her. Whether Weiss was worried for Jaune’s safety or just wanted to kill the Grimm is up for debate, but I like to think she was worried about Jaune dying (especially because she doesn’t hold a high opinion on his fighting capabilities).

[foulbearobservation]

I really like the emphasis on weapons as a means of self, it really calls back to volume 1 when ruby was freaking out over all the cool weapons she saw at beacon, seeing the weapons more than she saw the person behind it.

Volume 1, episode 2 "The Shining Beacon"

Yang: "Easy little sis, they're just weapons"

Ruby: "Just weapons? They're an extension of ourselves, they're a part of us!"

Even continuing on, Yang asks "well why can't you swoon over your own weapon, aren't you happy with it?" (In retrospect this can be read as "why can't you accept yourself, aren't you happy?") Ruby replies "of course I'm happy with Crescent Rose, I just really like seeing new ones. It's like meeting new people, but better!"

Really interesting throwback to the very very beginning of the series. Feels appropriate that yes, Ruby was happy with her place within the story, within the narrative. But now the story has changed and she's no longer content with the part she plays, so she has to find a new one. But the unique thing here is that she reached for Summer's weapon, she reached for a part that as already been concluded. She reached for a character with an (assumed) terminus. The comfort of a childhood story you've read backwards and forwards, a childhood hero that you never really thought of as a person, more as an ideal. It's interesting to say the least.

[marcmarcmomarc]

RWBY Audio Description notes: character name revelations

Characters and teams will have placeholder descriptions until their names are revealed in the show. End credits and offscreen mentions do not count.

When writing the scene descriptions, think of the vocabulary the Disney+ DVS track for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice uses and the emotion of the one for Monsters, Inc. For more instructions, be sure to read the Ultimate Guide to Audio Description on u3playmedia.com.

Team RWBY - 1x8: “Players and Pieces”

Weiss - “White” Trailer

Blake - “Black” Trailer

Yang - “Yellow” Trailer

Ruby - 1x1: “Ruby Rose”

Team JNPR - 1x8: “Players and Pieces”

Jaune - 1x2: “The Shining Beacon”

Nora - 1x4: “The First Day”

Ren - 1x4: “The First Day”

Pyrrha - 1x4: “The First Day”

Team STRQ - 3x4: “Lessons Learned”

Qrow - 3x3: “It’s Brawl in the Family”

Tai - 3x12: “End of the Beginning”

Raven - 4x4: “Family”

Summer - 9x10: “Of Solitude and Self”

Beacon Academy Staff

Ozpin - 1x1: “Ruby Rose”

Glynda - 1x1: “Ruby Rose”

Port - 1x10: “The Badge and the Burden Pt. 2”

Oobleck - 2x9: “Search and Destroy”

Salem’s Inner Circle

Torchwick - 1x1: “Ruby Rose”

Emerald - 2x1: “Best Day Ever”

Mercury - 2x1: “Best Day Ever”

Cinder - 2x1: “Best Day Ever”

Neo - 2x4: “Painting the Town”

Watts - 4x1: “The Next Step”

Tyrian - 4x1: “The Next Step”

Hazel - 4x1: “The Next Step”

Lionheart - 5x1: “Welcome to Haven”

Vernal - 5x3: Unforeseen Complications”

Salem - 6x2: “Uncovered”

The Hound - 8x4: “Fault”

Atlas Military

Penny - 1x15: “The Stray”

Ironwood - 2x2: “Welcome to Beacon”

Winter - 3x3: “It’s Brawl in the Family”

Cordovin - 6x8: “Dead End”

Ruby’s Group

Zwei - 2x8: “Field Trip”

Oscar - 4x7: “Punished”

Maria - 6x2: “Uncovered”

Pietro - 7x1: “The Greatest Kingdom”

Team SSSNN - 3x2: “New Challengers”

Sun - 1x16: “Black and White”

Neptune - 2x2: “Welcome to Beacon”

Nolan - 3x2: “New Challengers”

Scarlet - 3x2: “New Challengers”

Sage - 3x2: “New Challengers”

Team CFVY - 2x8: “Field Trip”

Velvet - 2x8: “Field Trip”

Yatsuhashi - 2x8: “Field Trip”

Fox - 2x12: “Breach”

Coco - 3x3: “It’s Brawl in the Family”

Ace-Ops - 7x1: “The Greatest Kingdom”

Hare - 7x2: “A New Approach”

Elm - 7x3: “Ace-Operatives”

Vine - 7x3: “Ace-Operatives”

Marrow - 7x3: “Ace-Operatives”

Clover - 7x3: “Ace-Operatives”

Happy Huntresses

Robyn - 7x5: “Sparks”

Joanna - 7x5: “Sparks”

May - 7x5: “Sparks”

Fi - 8x2: “Refuge”

The White Fang - 1x16: “Black and White”

Adam - “Black” Trailer

Kali - 4x5: “Menagerie”

Ghira - 4x5: “Menagerie”

Corsac - 4x5: “Menagerie”

Fennec - 4x5: “Menagerie”

Ilia - 4x9: “Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back”

Schnee Manor

Whitley - 4x2: “Remembrance”

Jacques - 4x2: “Remembrance”

Klein - 4x2: “Remembrance”

Willow - 8x8: “Dark”

Ancient Times

Jinn - 6x2: “Uncovered”

Ozma - 6x3: “The Lost Fable”

The God of Light - 6x3: “The Lost Fable”

The God of Darkness - 6x3: “The Lost Fable”

Ambrosius - 8x12: “Creation”

Xiong Family

Junior - “Yellow” Trailer

Miltia - “Yellow” Trailer

Melanie - “Yellow” Trailer

Miss Malachite - 6x2: “Uncovered”

Team CRDL - 1x8: “Players and Pieces”

Cardin - 1x11: “Jaunedice”

Team FNKI - 3x5: “Neon”

Flynt - 3x5: “Neon”

Neon - 3x5: “Neon”

Kobalt - 7x5: “Sparks”

Ivori - 7x5: “Sparks”

Arc Family

Saph - 6x7: “The Grimm Reaper”

Terra - 6x7: “The Grimm Reaper”

The Ever After - 9x1: “A Place of Particular Concern”

Little/Somewhat - 9x1: “A Place of Particular Concern” as Little, 9x10: “Of Solitude and Self” as Somewhat

Jinxy - 9x2: “Altercation at the Auspicious Auction”

The Red Prince - 9x3: “Rude, Red, and Royal”

The Cat - 9x3: “Rude, Red, and Royal”

Herb - 9x4: “A Cat Most Curious”

Juniper - 9x5: “The Parfait Predicament”

Alyx - 9x6: “Confessions Within Cumulonimbus Clouds”

Lewis - 9x6: “Confessions Within Cumulonimbus Clouds”

The Jabberwalker - 9x7: “The Perils of Paper Houses”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 1

Lisa Lavender - 1x1: “Ruby Rose”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 2

Tukson - 2x1: “Best Day Ever”

“Deery” - 2x4: “Painting the Town”

Perry - 2x11: “No Brakes”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 3

Reese - 3x1: “Round One”

Ciel - 3x5: “Neon”

Amber - 3x6: “Fall”

Blue Four - 3x9: “PvP”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 4

Henry - 4x6: “Tipping Point”

An - 4x10: “Kuroyuri”

Li - 4x10: “Kuroyuri”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 5

Khan - 5x2: “Dread in the Air”

Mata - 5x5: “Necessary Sacrifice”

Yuma - 5x5: “Necessary Sacrifice”

Trifa - 5x8: “Alone Together”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 6

Dee - 6x1: “Argus Limited”

Dudley - 6x1: “Argus Limited”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 7

Fria - 7x5: “Sparks”

Sleet - 7x9: “As Above, So Below”

Camilla - 7x9: “As Above, So Below”

Minor Characters introduced in Volume 9

The Teapot Lady - 9x5: “The Parfait Predicament”

The Paper Pleasers - 9x7: “The Perils of Paper Houses”

The Genial Gems - 9x9: “A Tale Involving a Tree”

[metawatts]

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen Part One

I've been workshopping this review for a week it is 9 fucking pages but anyway: It's dangerous to go alone! Take this!

Table of Contents

#1. Introduction: Not for DC Fans

#2. Starting off: “The Good-

#3. Propping Up RWBY over the Justice League

#4. The Texas Character Massacre

#5. Oh boy lets talk about the writing

#6. Other General Notes: -The Bad, and The Ugly”

#7. Final Scores!!

TL:DR- They better not make the 'part 2'. Let's get into it.

#1. Introduction: Not for DC Fans

Let’s get this out of the way: this is a movie made for RWBY fans. It’s made for people who are familiar with RWBY, with the characters, with the worldbuilding, and it’s made with the idea that the people watching are RWBY fans, with DC fans as the backburner. The first reason why I think this? The DC characters get a lot more exposition on who and what they are, while the RWBY characters get to exist and be ‘cool’.

The second reason? This movie is, lets face it, mean-spirited towards DC. And yeah whatever, a DC comic writer wrote this, but to be fair with the state of comics nowadays that says absolutely nothing about respect given to the characters that are popular and well-known (hint: it’s not RWBY). This movie is drenched in schoolyard meanness. It’s all about pointing and laughing at the DC characters. Our introductory scene to this film involves Superman being systematically humiliated in his first scene (unable to use his powers, having his hero codename be mocked, etc.), and that sets the tone.

Meanwhile, the RWBY characters are introduced with action set pieces and knowing about the world they are in. The DC characters are the ones who are comedic relief, who need to be ‘taken down a peg’, who must struggle and prove themselves to RWBY to get the ‘honour’ of working with them, while RWBY doesn’t have to struggle and instead gets to just be ‘cool’. And that’s detrimental to the RWBY characters as well too, by the way, so don’t think I’m being unfair. No one in this film has a character arc, except Jessica, supposedly, and Batman, unfortunately, and you would think that coming off the back of volume 9, often called the ‘character development’ volume, people would be complaining that RWBY and JNR are quite flat, in how they progress through the film.

Basically: The RWBY characters are set dressing; the Justice League are punching bags. With that as our thesis, let’s review this movie. (warning for spoilers)

#2. Starting Off: “The Good-

Now, I won’t pretend this movie was enjoyable for me by any means, but I’m not unreasonable, it had its positives. Four, specifically.

The first one is obvious: the Spectacle Fight Scenes. This movie had a bunch of fights packed away in it, and the overall quality of them was on the whole, in the higher tier of rwby’s Maya fight scenes. Bar a few bits of wonkiness and the general writing surrounding the fights, they were fun. A particular shout-out to my favourite one at the end, Hacked!Flash vs Everyone, that one was fun and fast and highly enjoyable.

Number 2: Batman’s semblance. I’ll fully admit that I’m pretty sure my enjoyment of this power implementation was purely because I like Batman: Arkham Asylum, and this is literally just ripped right from that down to the aesthetics, but, well- I like Batman: Arkham Asylum, and therefore I like Bruce’s Detective Vision semblance and how it was used pretty creatively compared to most other semblances.

Third times the charm: Superman was my shining light, my beacon of hope in this film. He was kind, he was polite, he was supportive and brave and friendly and also, surprisingly for RWBY, managed to do all this without being spineless, he was willing to stand up for himself when he thought he was being treated unfairly (at least, 80% of the time). I wouldn’t even normally consider myself a massive Superman fan, I like when he’s well-written and I notice when he isn’t, but this movie had me actively rooting for any time where he was on screen, he was my absolute highlight in this film, love him even if his fit is fuckin ATROCIOUS. (and his voice acting was, by and large, one of the strongest performances, beyond Kilg%re and Hacked!Barry, who were just clearly having a delightful time villain monologuing)

Number four: the idea of Grimm absorbing dust. It’s a brilliant idea that really ups the stakes in RWBY fights, considering dust is their go-to offensive weapon and literally powers all their bullets, and, amazingly, it was also a cool idea that was carried throughout most of the film. Every Grimm in this film had the ability, more or less, and they used it often and to great effect. Very nicely implemented.

(Final tiny shout-out: the Justice League’s superhero outfits in their own world, that we regrettably only see in a few flashback images, looked GOOD. I wish they kept them instead of getting the outfits in the film proper)

But alas, this film really did have a lot more negatives than positives, so lets get into the first big flaw, and the one I would consider the movie’s biggest failing:

#3. Propping Up RWBY over the Justice League

I mentioned it in the intro, but this movie is consistent in how it utterly devalues the Justice League characters and does everything in its power to showcase RWBY and JNR as ‘better’ in every way. Now, the argument is that this is intentional, seeing as the villain deliberately nerfed the JL characters into being teenagers to weaken them. To which case I point at probably what is probably the most referenced episode of the Justice League cartoon in regards to this movie, the one where they’re turned into literal children, appropriately named ‘Kid Stuff’, and I’ll also point out the lesser known episode of Justice League Action called ‘Trick or Threat’, which had the added bonus of wiping the JL character’s memories of being superheroes.

Now, why am I bringing these up? Its because both of these episodes had the same villain idea as this movie: de-age the Justice League to weaken them, and both of these episodes also did something that the movie failed to do: keep the characters in-character and acting their age, and treat them with respect. I’ll get to the character issues in the next section, but the idea of treating characters respectfully is not done in this film.

Superman, as stated prior, is nerfed, his name is made fun of, he’s talked down to constantly, he’s insulted, he’s distrusted, and not just by team RWBY. But he is not the only one. Wonder Woman has a mishap when trying to get the hang of her new abilities and Blake and Yang laugh at her. Flash, Vixen, Cyborg, and Green Lantern spar against JNR and despite still maintaining most of their adult memories beyond the immediate, and supposedly their skills minus powers, end up on the defensive. Against JNR, not even against the main team RWBY or against Pyrrha. They are outclassed by the side-character team. Batman, the hand-to-hand specialist, is outclassed by Weiss in close-quarters and then a few random SDC guards, Wonder Woman and Superman mostly escape unscathed, beyond the new drawbacks of their semblances, but it’s telling that most of the fight scenes are more focused on the cool things RWBY and JNR do instead of the JL characters (bar the Big Three). Cyborg’s biggest combat moment that’s given any narrative weight is him powering up Nora. Vixen doesn’t even get a moment, and Flash’s only moments come when he’s being the Villain and not Flash. The JL characters are supporting characters in a movie that’s supposed to be about teamwork.

Second point: they really hype Grimm up as scary, even stating ‘Grimm aren’t like your normal monsters, they’re soulless beings that only care about destroying and killing’. And it’s treated as a big moment of internal revelation and horror for the Justice League. Let me say that again, the fact that monsters only care about destroying things, is played as horrifying. For the Justice League. The guys who faced down, canonically in this film: Vandal Savage, an immortal sadistic genius who literally just wants to destroy the world consistently, and Brainiac, a hyper-intelligent alien android who’s goals range from ‘destroyed krypton in some continuities’ to ‘hobbies include horrifically mind controlling people to do evil and shrinking Actual Cities for his snow-globe collection’.

But yes. Grimm are scary now. These are the same Grimm that basically act as cannon fodder in all of RWBY’s actual run time, bar one-offs, and exist just to give the protagonists something they can guilt-free rip their way through to show off. Those Grimm. Those are the scary ones now, supposedly. Despite this artificial attempt to make RWBY seem more badass then the league for fighting monsters, the Grimm are still cannon fodder, the movie doesn’t stray that far from RWBY’s conventions.

Finally, there’s a consistent running theme that ties into the leadership qualities of Ruby vs Clark, but mostly ends up as ‘the Justice League try to come up with ideas and plans, and team RWBY and JNR yell at them for daring to tell them what to do’. Most particularly, it’s Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman who actually spark Team RWBY into realising that there’s a problem that needs solving. It’s them that comes up with 90% of the plans, and its them that put their money where their mouth is on being not only a good team and smart heroes, but also as friends (more on that later). But instead, whenever they come up with good ideas, it’s shut down, mostly by Nora, and also Yang, as ‘I’m not going to listen to you/don’t tell us what to do/you’re not the boss of me’.

There’s a very big sense of undeserved ego there, especially since the RWBY characters haven’t actually given a reason why they shouldn’t listen beyond general contrariness. But also, it’s a sentiment that does not work on a battlefield, and it does not work in a movie that tries to have a theme of ‘coming together’. Mostly because in a standard plotline about ‘working together’, the disagreements usually require resolving, or meeting in the middle. There is none of that here. The Justice League just bends the knee and goes with being mistreated by teenagers who have not shown their chops as heroes, but it’s still given the ending of ‘we’re all friends now’. The first of many character assassinations throughout this film.

#4. The Texas Character Massacre

This one’s a doozy. No one escapes. Not even Superman, who is almost entirely spared, even he gets a dose of a ‘RWBY Heroic Speech that is just Empty Token Hero Stuff’ (AKA the thing that’s been plaguing Ruby since vol4). But I’ve used Superman already a lot, and he’s probably the least egregious of what happens here, so let’s get into the meat of this topic.

Everyone and their mom on twitter has been commenting about how Batman does not feel like Batman in this. And it’s true. Batman, the self-admitted ‘I haven’t been a kid since I was eight’, the man who is so obsessed with Gotham City it will one day kill him, the man who, even if in this continuity is not a father of 4-8+ adopted children, still has Alfred who he would die for and would die for him, the man who in the current comics run of RWBY in the DC universe says with his mouth ‘I don’t want this semblance, relying on it is detrimental in the long-term’. This Batman. Wants to ditch Gotham because he has wings and powers now.

‘Batman getting powers’ is not new ground, by the way, but the absolute moping this version of Batman does is not only annoying and actively unlikable, it also makes no sense. In the span of ten seconds, in the same conversation, he goes from ‘I want to go home’ to ‘I want to stay where I have powers’. This isn’t presented as a conflict of interest either, by the way. He just completely switches his mind because Weiss said ‘hey stay here’. There’s no consistency, there’s no internal character motivation, it felt like they just wanted to have one character conflicted about leaving HoloRemnant and decided just to throw a dart at a board without caring who it fit. So yes, Batman? Massacred.

Wonder Woman also got severely screwed over too. I had this in my notes that Wonder Woman only acted in character when she was reuniting with the rest of the Justice League and was allowed to show kindness and compassion. The rest of the time, Wonder Woman, a character defined by her love for the world (and was created to showcase feminine power, btw), is a Strong Female Character, and I do mean that in the Negative Way. She’s literally got a Batman Growl on her voice for 99% of her lines, she talks about how tough she is, about the ‘warrior’s life’, and she’s the first character to get violent in a situation. Yes, even beating out Yang ‘punch first, talk later’ Xiao Long. This feels like a parody of Wonder Woman written by someone who read the Whedon Wonder Woman script and took ‘some crazy strong bitch in a tiara’ as their entire central concept for the character. It’s not a Wonder Woman who believes in anything, she’s just a sidekick for the bees to prop themselves up with as ‘warriors’. I could write a million thinkpieces on what makes Wonder Woman an excellent hero character, but all I’ll say is this film’s Wonder Woman would not count.

Green Lantern will get her own post on how this movie handled her so fucking badly because that would balloon this review to a massive size when it’s already a Longk Boi, but suffice to say: she was whitewashed, her anxiety was mishandled, and fucking HELL I miss Simon Baz, why are we erasing Jessica’s friendship with Simon for some screentime-sucking white boy. (Racism and islamophobia, the answer is racism and islamophobia)

Cyborg, Flash, and Vixen all aren’t really characters in this movie as much as they are there to fill out the cast, but suffice to say, they were handled badly. Flash was at his most interesting when being visibly possessed by the villain because beyond that he was just entirely forgettable to the point that you will not notice he has been written out of a fight scene until Vixen goes ‘where’s Flash’. Vixen herself literally is the most sidelined of all the characters in this film, she doesn’t even get a Cool Action Moment, and has just two character traits: Sassy and Vaguely Animalistic Sometimes, not just because she’s a faunus, but her first scene we’re introduced to her sniffing a paper plane for what is literally the only ‘plot point’ she’s involved in, namely, that Flash ‘smells wrong’. And Cyborg. Man, Cyborg. They literally handed the hacking plotline to Weiss with the excuse of ‘the tech here is weird’ and instead shoved Cyborg into some weird jealousy triangle where he was so disrespected by Ren and Nora that even his goodbye to them is met with disdain. Cyborg and Vixen deserve so much better, guys.

Now, onto team RWBY and JNR. Remember how I said they were flat characters? Yeah, this bit’s gonna be a bit shorter. Ruby had probably the most ‘characterisation’ in the film, in that they literally just took volume 9’s idea of ‘Ruby has self-doubts’, slapped it on her, explored nothing, and then Clark gave her a quick Friendship Speech and she’s all smiley again. Weiss has a bit of flirting with Batman, suddenly gained hacking abilities out of nowhere, and is mainly the ‘nice but snobby’ archetype she’s been in main RWBY for ages. Actually, Weiss, Blake, Yang, and Jaune all mainly exist to serve plot points in some way. Weiss and her little storyline with Batman is just designed to reveal the villain, Jaune is there to push Jessica’s storyline of getting her powers back by Literally Curing Her Panic Attacks, and Blake and Yang? Well, they get Wonder Woman to the places she needs to visit, first Beacon, then Atlas, and then Vale again. Oh, and they have Moments. Your mileage may vary on if that’s good or not, it’s mainly superfluous to the film overall. Ren and Nora don’t actually contribute anything, beyond Ren being jealous of Cyborg and Nora, and Nora getting mad at both of them for being overly protective (I think it’s meant to be pushback against misogyny but. It’s poorly handled).

Actually, I lie. Blake does have at least one big thing of characterisation. But I’m going to put it in the next section, because it’s more of a writing problem. The final other characters in the film are Kilg%re, our villain, who is laughable, and the simulated versions of Glynda, Kali, Jacques, Ozpin/Oscar, and Pyrrha. All of whom are there just to… show that it’s a simulation, or something. They don’t do anything beyond Pyrrha being so obviously a trap for Jaune and Jessica that of course only Jaune ignoring Jessica’s common sense could have made it worse. Now, Onwards!!

#5. Oh boy lets talk about the writing

So. The Faunus racism plotline. Listen. It’s bad. We all know its bad. I’m not going into it because there are a million people smarter then me who already have done elaborate and well-thought analyses on why its bad. Can we just accept the Faunus plotline is horrendous and go from there? Okay? Okay.

So: Blake introduces the concept of faunus by describing her own race as ‘humans with ears or a tail’. As I saw someone else put it when the movie dropped, ‘people don’t describe themselves as a white person with darker skin’. Anyway, the faunus plotline. It’s not really touched on in this film beyond Jacques being racist towards Bruce and Blake being generally weird about it, and the idea that ‘the animal-themed superheroes are faunus now’, but it’s a plotline that RWBY will never escape and therefore must be mentioned as having some impact.

So lets talk about the actual racism in the movie and mention how the black woman is a Sassy Side Character, the two men of colour are shoved into a jealousy plotline over a white girl (again, reiterating: Weiss and Bruce have the hacking plotline), and the Latina girl has a white boy solve her mental illness for her after her character design was whitewashed. While I don’t think it’s intentionally racist, it is a bit of a pattern for all of RWBY’s stuff that characters of colour are either written off, villainised, or sidelined. I also want to mention: Oscar shows up in this literally just to get slammed hard into a pillar by Wonder Woman. They really can’t go five minutes without beating up this kid). This movie is not kind to the characters of colour, whether its by Actively Fucking Whitewashing Them or by just making them non-characters, and it’s just, unfortunately, exactly what was expected from a piece of RWBY media.

The mention of Oscar above reminded me: the simulation characters are… handled oddly. Ozpin is the most obviously fake, even before he starts glitching between his old self and Ozpin. But what’s strange is that out of all the simulations, Jacques of all characters has the most personality of them. Kali was always a side character, Glynda just creates exposition and sets up a fight scene, Ozpin isn’t even given a character he’s just Creepy Hologram, and Pyrrha has about one minute of ‘no wait its totally me’ before she goes The Most Evil (sidenote, they keep bringing Pyrrha back just to be evil, I hope that’s not another pattern). It’s just… strange. The way the whole villain thing in this film works is strange. Which leads me to:

Kilg%re. When I found out who the villain of this film was I went on the mother of all rants on discord. And I will post it here for posterity, just so you know exactly what the gut reaction was.

As for why this reveal sucks: well. I mean, first of all, if you introduce the concept of your surprise villain as a joke earlier in the film, which they did, then it doesn’t really make them feel all that villainous. Sure enough, it gave Kilg%re a chip on the shoulder in his villain monologue, where he was whining about being ‘the one who finally trapped the Justice League’ (bestie they’re a superhero team from comics, they get trapped once a week and twice on Sundays, you’re not special, babe, sorry). And a character desperately yelling at the screen that ‘no I’m really cool trust me’ is not… fun. It’s just sort of awkward. Sorry, Kilg%re, they treated you badly. Also, they didn’t reveal the second villain on Remnant’s side beyond saying ‘he’, even when setting this during the Vol7 Montage, so I guess that’s a mystery for the next movie, if it’s ever made (personally I’m hoping for Dr Merlot, why not).

On the flipside of villains being written badly, this film also has romance written badly. It’s just jealousy and love triangles, jealousy and love triangles. Not even interesting love triangles either, just ‘character A shows interest in character B, which makes character C get really possessive and (in all but one case) mean to B’. The As: Cyborg, Yang, Bruce. The Bs: Nora, Diana, Weiss. The Cs: Ren, Blake, Diana (again). It’s not cute, and it’s especially not cute when it’s repeated three times in the same film. It’s just boring.

Finally: and this is the thing that truly, genuinely, made me want to write this whole thing because of how rage inducing it is, is this monologue given to us by Blake:

"They sound lucky. They've never had to worry they were gonna die just from going to school. To train like your life, or worse, your friends' lives depend on it. To have to live with the fact that there's a real chance you're gonna lose them. They had a childhood."

Lets count it down, people!!

Superman: literally an allegory for illegal immigrants, refugee orphans (an alien who was adopted and raised in America after his home was made unsafe) and in many case Jewish people, what with all the Moses Allegory. Had to hide the fact that he was an alien all his life, starting from childhood.

Batman: watched his parents get gunned down in front of him at age 8. This is so integral an event that it is a fulcrum point not only of his character, but also of most of the main Dc Universe that Bruce’s Parents Die.

Flash: his mother was murdered in front of him by a time-travelling speedster and his father was arrested for it. Barry grew up with the stigma of having a murderer for a father who he is generally seen as visiting constantly in jail.

Cyborg: he is a disabled black man whose father fused him with alien technology to keep him alive after a near-death experience that also completely replaced 90% of his body and meant he had to give up on his dreams of being a sports star. Usually also has a dead mom around there too.

Green Lantern: a Latina woman who had a decent childhood by most accounts in the comics, but had the unfortunate luck of witnessing gangsters hiding a body while out hiking with her friends. Watched her friends get gunned down around her, spent the next four years extremely agoraphobic to the point of never leaving her apartment because of her trauma and the fear that the gangsters would finish the job. Family’s alive, but that was only the start of the ‘Jessica Has A Bad Time’ train.

Vixen: Mari’s backstory is a bit more nebulous as long as the main points of ‘was born in an African village, got the tantu totem, moved to America and became a superhero and usually also a model’ is met, but she also tends to have a dead mom or dead parents floating around too most of the time, whether that’s by poachers, warlords, or some other awful human-caused tragedy.

Wonder Woman: raised on an island that was in comics literally called 'Paradise Island' by her loving mother, trained with all her Amazon family to become a warrior, the island is explicitly protected from all of the evil of Man’s World by magic, and willingly chose to leave to go do good and protect people.

So we have one princess raised on a paradisal island ethnostate with loving, caring parents telling another princess raised on a paradisal island ethnostate with loving caring parents that ‘yeah your friends have horrific backstories, but they were lucky because they didn’t do what we did and WILLINGLY sign up for a job as a monster killer where we get four years of training and preparation and also are paid well for our actions instead of freelance vigilante work for charity, so if you think about it, us RWBY kids are the real victims/warriors here’.

Just in case anyone was wondering why I think Wonder Woman’s OOC in this film.

Oh also this monologue is an allegory for gun violence and school shootings, as confirmed by the writer in this article and I am including the quote for posterity and also so people can’t say I made it up: https://animemojo.com/other/exclusive-interview-with-justice-league-x-rwby-super-heroes-huntsmen-writer-meghan-fitzmartin-a14773#gs.w1iou8

“These kids are warriors and these RWBY kids are a really good look at what we’re putting a lot of kids through today. There’s a statistic I saw recently that said 1-in-5 kids will die in gun violence in America. That sucks. That’s the level of warrior stuff we’re putting our kids through and it’s a good example of what’s happening to this current generation. I wanted to make a point of saying, ‘What does that do to us?’ Looking into the leadership or what these characters go through, it’s interesting to see what they have to give up to give future generations a chance. I think that resonates a lot with kids today.” - Meghan Fitzmartin

Just. In case anyone else wants to be angry about this with me. Hey, RWBY, you can’t have the actual tagline of your show be ‘it’s also a gun’ and then go ‘gun violence is bad tho’ because oh man then your main characters look like real monsters for all the times they pull guns on people (such as all the unarmed civilians or people who they pulled guns on first who then pulled out their own guns in self-defence). Also, if this is one of the themes of the movie, then this is also the only time it’s touched on. The concept of ‘being a warrior’ becomes instantly watered down to mean ‘badass fighter’ and not ‘person carrying constant fear of death by rising gun violence’, so it’s also a really shallow use of an actually serious theme, which is par for the course with RWBY but is also still very annoying when it happens.

#6. Other General Notes: - the Bad, and the Ugly”

The music in this film was very weak. No hate to the composer but it’s barely noticeable and doesn’t really have anything of note. Normally I find a lot of DC stuff has decent music and RWBY in particular is praised for it. This was disappointing, audio-wise

The designs: Listen, RWY and JNR were fine, the Beacon designs are serviceable even if they aren’t my favourites overall. But anyway, lets rank the Justice League, best to worst!

#1. Vixen: even, somehow, in the world that is RWBY modelling, Vixen slays. She simply cannot look bad, ever. The focus on black and orange contrast instead of a million eye-searing colours, the sleekness of the jumpsuit, the fact that it’s not overly complicated, and that she actually has hair with curls in it? If not for the tail and the fact that it is literally just Harriet’s model, top points. You cannot keep a bad bitch down.

#2. Cyborg: Listen. It could have been worse. It could have been. So much worse.

#3. Wonder Woman: girlypop’s gonna cut someone on that chin, and her arm muscles look like braided bread. The ponytail would be passable if not for the way they modelled her hair tendrils, and the outfit… also could have been worse.

#4. Superman: The babyface and the way his hair is plastered to his head does not work, but I like how expressive his eyes are. The outfit is an atrocity to god but they all are from this point so at least his boots are cute and the whole denim jeans and denim jacket would work if they didn’t have that massive gold S on the shirt or the Fake Cape.

#5. Batman: ugly as sin. He has No Hood, Cowl, or Mask, his hair is bad, the scar on the eyebrow is the one cool thing, his outfit is awful, and when it’s folded up it looks like Weiss is swinging around an empty pizza box. Gotta say, at least the ears in the comic were kinda cute, the bat wings are just bland in comparison.

#6. Flash: Sir your zipper is in the shape of a zigzag and it’s very cringefail of you. The one redeeming feature is the visor but like, the hair? No. The scarf? No. The way they placed the colours on his outfit? Yikes. Throw the whole man out, Kilg%re did.

#7. Green Lantern: they put her in a blender with Ben 10 and hit ‘emulsify’ (this is insulting to Ben 10 which I am very sorry for, Ben 10 didn’t deserve this but then again neither did Jess). Her long curly hair is gone, her melanin is gone, her cute jumpsuit is gone, her brown eyes are GONE like I had my issues with the comic designs but at least it was a design and not just Ugly Bad Wrong.  

Final note: they really want us to believe that Batman beat up a guy and stole his tuxedo to blend in but during the entire time he was changing out of his hero costume and into a suit he somehow didn’t notice a pair of big honking WINGS on his back. Yeah right.

#7. Final Scores!!!

Plot: 2/10

Characters: -100/10

Spectacle Fights: 4/10

Themes: 1/10

Overall score, not including the points for ‘characters’: 2.5/10

Do NOT make another fucking movie with this premise. (I will write up Jessica's personal meta in the future, keep an eye out).

[swapauanon]

Okay so, something that I feel is important to understanding certain narrative decisions from RWBY: Ice Queendom vs RWBY Volume 1.

Ice Queendom's first episode adapts the "White" and "Black" Trailers, a bit of the "Red" Trailer and Weiss' Volume 5 character short, and "Ruby Rose" (the first episode of the first Volume).

Ice Queendom's Second Episode adapts "The Shining Beacon" through "Players and Pieces", basically covering the entire initiation arc.

Ice Queendom's third episode adapts what's left of Volume 1, starting with "The Badge and the Burden".

As such, this means that the closing scene of "The Badge and the Burden, Part 2" where Weiss brings Ruby some coffee and starts respecting her as Team Leader, comes WAY too early in Ice Queendom's 3rd Episode for Weiss to learn her lesson. That's why the scene is altered so that Weiss is only PRETENDING to respect Ruby. On a Watsonian level, there hadn't yet been enough time IN THE EPISODE for Weiss to undergo such a major personal change.

They put it there because that's when the scene chronologically happened in the original series. But, given that they changed when Jaune got his Aura unlocked, I suppose they could have ALSO moved the coffee scene later into the episode so it happens after Weiss and Blake makes amends (with Weiss getting possessed by the Nightmare shortly afterwards).

Then again, the lead-up to the scene also serves the purpose of having Weiss spying on Pyrrha and Jaune, so they can make Jaune's little mini-arc actually relevant to Weiss' character growth (while also using Jaune to show how the Nightmare works in order to set-up the rest of the series in Weiss' dream) but yeah.

You can love it, you can hate it, but there's a pragmatic reason for the change beyond "ruining a fan favorite moment from Volume 1".

[srsly-sirius]

The smell of leather and cigarettes - Rain falling onto windows - Long rides on a motorbike - A clear stary night - The sound of forced laughter hiding a broken spirits - Tattoos scattered across his body

We've all got light and dark inside us. What matters is the side we choose to act on. That's who we really are.

Sirius Black, born into the prestigious pureblood Black family on November 1, 1959, was burdened with privilege from the moment he drew breath. As the eldest son and heir to a family fortune, Sirius was subjected to unrelenting scrutiny. His upbringing was a carefully choreographed performance, each step dictated by his parents' rigid definition of respectability. Denied the freedom of childhood, he was moulded into the perfect heir, a role that suffocated his spirit. The weight of his family's expectations, far greater than those placed on his younger brother, felt like an invisible chain. He yearned for their approval, for a genuine sense of pride from his parents, but their harshness only pushed him further away.

Despite his constant efforts to conform, to remain the quiet, well-behaved child they craved, a flicker of rebellion burned within him. Though he never dared to truly misbehave, for fear of his mother's fury, his silences spoke volumes. His occasional snarky remarks were a testament to the suffocating pressure he endured, a subtle defiance that hinted at the rebellious soul trapped within the carefully crafted façade of a model heir. The weight of expectations, the constant pressure to live up to his family's rigid standards, began to chip away at Sirius's spirit. He felt adrift in a crowd of his own kind, a gnawing emptiness replacing the camaraderie he once felt. His parents' disapproval, their ever-present disdain, fuelled his growing sense of inadequacy. He envied his brother Regulus, a shining example of everything their family valued. Sirius, despite his wealth and social standing, felt utterly lost.

He sought solace in solitude, retreating to the back garden, hidden amongst the tall hedges. Under the starry night sky, he found a brief respite from the suffocating expectations of his family. He yearned for something more, something beyond the rigid confines of pureblood society, yet he dared not voice his doubts.

The whispers of prejudice and superiority, once accepted as truth, now echoed with a hollow ring in his ears. He began to question the foundations of his family's beliefs, the inherent right they claimed to power and privilege. The books he devoured, penned by those deemed 'lesser' by his family, challenged his preconceived notions. He saw intelligence and talent flourishing in those ostracized by his own kind, and a growing dissonance within him resonated with the silent cry for freedom. He was a prisoner of his own lineage, yearning for a world where he could be true to himself, where his worth was measured by something more than the purity of his blood.

The arrival of his Hogwarts letter was a beacon of freedom, a golden ticket out of his suffocating life. For the first time, he had a semblance of control. Away from home, he could finally escape the constant scrutiny and belittling. His parents' disapproval, however, followed him even to Hogwarts, manifesting in a scathing Howler after he was sorted into a house that shamed them. Despite this, he found solace in the school's vibrant community. He made friends outside his pure-blood circle, discovering that shared interests transcended lineage. This newfound companionship, a luxury denied by his family, filled him with a joy he had never known.

His years at Hogwarts were a haven, a period of unprecedented liberation. But the summer before his sixth year brought a terrifying ultimatum. His parents, weary of his defiance, demanded he join the Death Eaters, aligning himself with Voldemort and fulfilling their warped sense of pride. This prospect filled him with a chilling dread he had never experienced. He couldn't bear the thought of betraying his own morals and succumbing to their twisted ambitions. Without a second thought, he fled, embarking on a solitary escape, leaving behind a life that had become unbearable.

Torn between loyalty and conscience, he was forced to abandon his family, especially his brother. He couldn't conform to their expectations, couldn't walk the path they chose. The love he held for them was not enough to justify the path they'd taken. The war was morally reprehensible, and he refused to stand beside those who harmed others for their very being. Leaving, even though it shattered him, was the only option.

He never revealed the true reason for his flight, though his friends, piecing together his hints about his family, had their own suspicions. He didn't deny anything, but the betrayal was too profound to share. He couldn't bring himself to expose his family's allegiance to the Dark Lord, the very act that had spurred his escape. Despite his resentment, his family pride remained strong enough to prevent him from revealing their secret, which could lead to their imprisonment in Azkaban. He loved them too deeply to witness their suffering.

[bobauthorman]

A warning of things to come

Blake: Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale.

Subtext Translation: Those story & character arch types, cliches, and plot devices you're so used to? Don't count on 'em happening here.

Ruby: Well, that's why we're here! To make it better.

Subtext Translation: This story's going to forge it's own path, and do things it's own way! And it's gonna be awesome for doing so.

[brainbuffering]

12 Days of Manga (2022)

Day 1: Favourite Ongoing Series - Snow White With The Red Hair by Sorata Akiduki from Shojo Beat (T: Caleb Cook L: Brandon Bovia E: Karla Clark)  

[ID: English cover for Snow White With the Red Hair Vol 19 by Sorata Akiduki. Kiki wears a burgendary psudo-european-medievial style dress with long flowing sleeves. In on hand she holds a wine glass, and in the other she gently clasps her sword. She sits sideways but looks knowingly at the viewer. Behind her, a festival at dusk is in full swing and we see the backs of Hisame (left) and Mitsuhide (right)]

This year (as of writing) the UK has been gifted Volumes 17 - 19 of SWWTRH*, covering the Bergat Arc which finally gave some more time for our beloved Kiki to shine and the return of everyone’s (read: my) favourite beloved arsehole Hisame Rougis. This more action and romance based arc was a nice return to form last year’s Orimmallys arc. As wonderful as it was to see the STEM elements of SWWTRH come to the forefront, with no doubt Cook’s experience on Dr Stone helping him translate all that psudo-science, I’m a simple Blogger who likes to see some swords and swooning.

That said, this combination of genres and themes really does highlight what makes the series so good. Anyone who tries to tell you that Shojo is all the same really needs to read this series because it will swing from mystery to romance to action adventure to science explainer in only a few chapters. I’ve said it elsewhere but I will say it again: it i also just so nice to have a manga I can confidently recommend to literally anyone! It’s a great starter for those looking to get into Shojo, be they a 10 year-old who has some book tokens to use up, or a 40 year old who wants to finally branch out beyond the Shonen Jump Sphere of Influence.

The series is also beautifully unintentionally queer, and that was highlighted again this year. Well, I say unintentionally. Some of SWWTRH’s contemparies in LaLa include explicitly queer stories such as Ouran High School Host Club, so who is to say how it will end? I can hold out for my bisexual polyamorous ending in which Obi, Zen and Shirayuki end up married with 2.5 children, right? With lines like this, it’s starting to feel more like text than subtext. 

[ID: Zen smiles widely. “You might have a trio who lived completely separate lives... ... but came together in the palace... ... to now spend their lives together, side by side.”]

But I digress. As I said! This was the year of the Kiki. We got to get more of a glimpse into her role as heir to the Seiren Family, and what expectations that holds. She got some closure on her relationship with Mitsuhide that, without spoilers, was very afirming from an Aro/Ace perspective, and started to see her take new steps with Hisame in a way that allows them both some character development and encourages world building! We also got to see her beat people up with a sword, although perhaps not as much as I would have liked. She did get her own dramatic “I’ll be shooting for my own hand” moment, with all the paralels and metaphors of working hard to choose your own fate and your own destiny, and to not get thrown by romantic rejection but rather remain to stay true to yourself no matter what. So I suppose I can’t really complain. 

[ID: Two manga pages of Kiki shooting arrows in the middle of the night, the range lit by fire light/beacons. The first ten arrows have missed the center of the target completely. Kiki looks disapointed and uncertain about everything. Then she appears to center herself and manages a bullseye.] 

I’ve said many times before, that I don’t think there is any reason for a series to go beyond 30 volumes. I can’t imagine any story that needs to go on for that long without it becoming far too repetative. However SWWTRH is one of those series that I will happily be buying for the next ten years! For one, unlike a lot of ongoing series, SWWTRH is not restricted to a time scale (e.g. three years of high school) or singular goal (e.g. entering the olympics). Shirayuki and Zen confirmed their romantic feelings early on, and whilst we want to see their relationship develop the pace it is going at feels realistic for people of their age, and in their situation.

Why should they get married at age 19? Shirayuki becoming a well respected court herablist will help her standing in marrying him, sure, but it’s also the goal she wants to achieve without romance being on the line either. Heck, even if her only goal was marriage, it’s perfectly reasonable to want to finish your studies before settling down! The story is not lessened by its slower pacing, but rather enhanced by it. Much like real life, it takes its time with each arc, meandering rather than steamrolling. Yet it doesn’t feel repetative, it doesn’t feel as though Akiduki dragging things out for the sake of it, but rather just allowing the characters to take moments to breathe inbetween events.

The characters are allowed to grow and change with the narrative, and have that be reflected within the story. There’s a whole time skip that takes place without it feeling like some big terrifying event, rather just the nature of what happens in adult life where you just spend a year focussing on your work and your studies, and so naturally don’t get up to the sort of major adventures that you might tell your grandkids about.

The series finds strength in the age of its characters, young adults growing into themselves and finding a purpose in life without fear of falling and failing. Obi is allowed to find comfort in the mundane, and not having to go on life changing ninja adventures all the time. Shirayuki’s focus on her studies living away from Zen doesn’t mean that their romantic relationship must come to an end, and she is allowed to develop completely independently of their love whilst still having that love be incredibly important to her! Mitsuhide is happy to live a life without marriage and kids because he cares more about the platonic relationships in his life, and wants to put his time and energy into those. Kiki is still working out what to do next now that her initial plan for life has turned side ways, and that’s good too! She has a support network in place to help! Zen meanwhile continues to be the perfect prince, the white haired anime boy all white haired anime boys should aspire to be, and I hope that he is able to move back in with his girlfriend and boyfriend full time. 

The joy here is in the journey, not in the destination, and i’ll happily continue on with these characters for years to come!

*The Americans have up to Vol 21, but the ongoing supply chain crisis and paper shortage are out to get me personally.

[vincentsims333]

Imagine waking up each day knowing that every action you take, every task you undertake, and every word you utter can be a radiant reflection of something much greater than yourself. The Bible, in its poetic and timeless wisdom, speaks to this very notion. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we find a powerful call to action: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

But what does this truly mean for you? It means that life is more than just a series of mundane events; it is an incredible opportunity to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Everything you do can be infused with purpose, intention, and a touch of the divine – turning the simplest act into a testament to something higher.

When you live by this scripture, your work isn't just work; it's an act of worship. Your interactions are not merely transactions; they're chances to spread kindness and love. Every challenge is not a setback but a platform for showcasing resilience and faith. This perspective is not just a fleeting thought but a way of living that can bring profound meaning and satisfaction to your life.

The beauty of this message is that it isn't reserved for the monumental moments; it is equally relevant in the quiet whispers of daily living. Whether you're leading a team, creating art, solving problems, or lending a hand to someone in need – do it with all the passion and excellence you possess. Let your life be a masterpiece that speaks volumes of the glory of God.

So, I challenge you today: rise up and embrace this call to live a life of significance. Make your every action a beacon of God's love and glory. And remember, every moment is a chance to make an impact, to shine brightly, and to truly live out the profound truth that is encoded within the holy scriptures. Go forth, and let your life be a splendid offering that echoes in eternity!

[azulamakesmeblank]

Eternally Yours [Kataang] - Part 1

Hey lovely readers!!

The is the first of three parts for my take on Katara and Aang’s wedding! I posted this on my AO3 if you wanna check it out over there. Please excuse any inaccuracies when it comes to the wedding ceremony, I am by no means an expert and have absolutely no idea how a water tribe wedding would really be lol 

I wanna thank my good friend @atypicalkataangist​ for beta reading this fic for me, its been a challenge and I definitely couldn’t have done it without him!

Plan is to post each part weekly, but things may change cause uni is a bitch lol, i’ll link them below for easy access!

Part 1 - The Ceremony [THIS PART]

Part 2 - The Reception

Part 3 - The Wedding Night

SUMMARY: Katara and Aang journey to the Southern Water Tribe where they finally eternalise their love

GENRE (for the series as a whole): Wedding fluff, romantic comedy, little dash of angst cause you know that's my personality at this point, and of course eventual and explicit smut to finish it all off hehe

WARNINGS: none for this part (except for the conversations concerning a dead parent aka katara’s mom)

So without further adieu, I give you Kataang finally tying the knot!

The most peculiar thing about this day was the state of the sky. Where in the past a love-struck, teenage Katara, daydreaming about this momentous day any chance she got, had imagined crystal blue so like the colour of the glaciers of the North Pole and a blindingly bright sun hanging right in the middle, today she stared up at a sky scattered with opaque grey clouds giving way to uneven splotches and slivers of aegean blue, the sun hiding in limbo between day and night. It wouldn’t be long till the light faded further and even the clouds became invisible against twilight’s dominant hue. Not even the stars would be able to break through. Maybe a couple here or there, but Katara wasn’t holding out hope. One thing that did shine like a beacon against the darkness, her head tipped up to the sky, was a snowflake.

Since leaving the South Pole with Aang around three years ago, Katara hadn’t seen snow once (one of the many perks of living so close to the equator). But now she was back - for a very important reason - and after four days of no snowfall, today was the day mother nature let loose. Katara smiled as the microscopic lattice of ice landed on her cheek and melted, a multitude more falling around her, no doubt.

One thing the weather and the sky didn’t emulate, under any circumstance, was her mood. The woman couldn’t be any more elated than she was now while thinking about what was to come.

Katara took a slow breath, her eyes drifting to a close as she savoured the last moments of peace and calm and quiet, because any second now, the attention of her friends, her Gran-Gran and other women from her family would be on her.

In a matter of hours, Katara’s life would be forever changed.

“Hey! Sugar queen!”

Katara jolted at the volume of her friend's voice, looking over her shoulder and instantly covering her hand with her mouth when the urge to laugh at Toph’s exaggerated attire almost won. For spirit’s sake, she looked like a penguin wrapped in two of the thickest snow-leopard parkas the south had to offer! Only the centre of her stern face peaked through the fluffy hood and her thick fringe, her silhouette stark against the light shining from gran-gran’s hut out onto the streets. Who could blame Katara? It was too funny not to laugh.

“Mind coming inside so we can get this show over with already?”

“Show?” Katara scoffed with the breath of a laugh, too used to her friend's antics now to actually take her complaints personally. “Did you forget I’m not the only one getting dressed up tonight, Toph?”

“That’s my point, sweetness. Sooner you get in there, the sooner I get out.”

“Alright, fine. You’ve got a point.” The waterbender acquiesced, making her way to the bundled-up earthbender who was completely shielded from the snow now floating down around them both.

“As always.” Came Toph's smug reply as they made their way over to the hut and the warm glow of a fire from the inside. “But uh… wanna tell me why you were all alone out here?”

“No reason.” Katara shrugged, truthful with her reply. “Just thinking. I guess I always imagined this day a little differently.”

“Uh… is that a bad thing?” Toph asked, emotional sensitivity far from her strong suit in serious conversations, but she always tried. And katara had to hand it to her - she’d definitely gotten better over the years.

“Not at all. I think… I’m glad. It kind of feels like a clue as to what my life is going to be like from now on.” She explained, her tone quiet and calm. “Every day, around every single corner, I’m going to find the unexpected.”

“Well, that sounds like a real hoot. But can we please get inside? I’m sick of not seeing anything in these dumb shoes.”

Katara laughed again. “I hate to break it to you Toph, but unless you want to get frost-bite on your feet, then you’re going to have to wear shoes for the rest of the night.”

“I know that! Let a girl dream, would ya?” Toph exclaimed, walking on with determination through the door to Gran-Gran’s hut (and straight to the fire) with Katara on her heel, shaking her head at her friend's temperamental ways no matter the situation. She didn’t expect her to have any sort of emotional response from Toph to her mini confession, but that didn’t perturb her at all. What did, however, was the immediate attention of the other women on her the second she walked through the door, those blue eyes of hers blowing wide as all five heads turned to her. It was as if they’d locked on their target. They called her name in greeting, getting up from where they sat in the main living area to immediately crowd her with high energy and a list of things to do. All the voices and words kind of blended into one, but they were of little to no importance to her anyway, so her replies came out on auto-pilot, all of her attention now narrowed in on the rapid beat of the heart.

It made sense that they would be so thrilled — these women hadn’t been so closely involved in a wedding as grand as this one in their entire lives, they’d only heard stories — and after watching her grow up during the midst of a war, Katara had almost become like a daughter to some of them. To her, however, they were people she scarcely knew.

“Hey, beautiful!” Came a familiar voice from behind, cutting through all the chaos and flooding the waterbender with relief.

Katara whipped around to face her, beaming from ear to ear. “Suki!”

“It’s so great to see you!” She chimed back as they hugged tightly. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

“Don’t be, you’re not. I’m so relieved you’re here, seriously.” Katara mumbled into Suki’s shoulder, pulling her a little tighter before letting her go. The mahogany-haired woman pulled back, holding Katara by her shoulders with a loving smile.

“You know I would have walked all the way here if I had to.” She rubbed the water bender’s back comfortably, watching glancing around the hut and finding a strangely toph-shaped lump by the fire. She investigated the shape with a narrow gaze. “Toph… is that you?” Suki called out and the lump seemed to shift, the earthbender turning her head around slightly to acknowledge the warrior.

“Sure is, honey. I’d come get a better look at you but hearing your voice will have to do. I’m not moving an inch.”

Suki and Katara let out an amused chuckle together and pulled back from their embrace to share a caring look. “Sounds like Toph is super glad to see me, too.” Joked the warrior light-heartedly.

“I think this whole ‘wearing shoes’ thing is making her a little cranky.”

“I heard that!” Called the so-called cranky earth bender.

“I know you did, Toph, it’s not like you’re far away.”

Toph tutted, wrapping her arms around her knees to murmur something Katara wasn’t sure she wanted to hear, yet she just shook her head fondly, setting her attention back on Suki and taking the warrior’s hands, squeezing tightly. “I really appreciate you doing this, Suki, thank you.”

“Oh, please! It’s my pleasure!” Suki assured her confidently. “After everything you did to help me when Sokka and we got married, this is nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.” Urged Katara. “I mean it.”

“Kat... you’re too sweet.” Suki pouted, lifting her hand to nudge the water bender’s chin with her knuckle fondly. “And you already look so pretty! How is your skin so flawless?!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that… but I did start using this new moisturising balm!”

They fell into a trivial conversation about different products they both swore by for skin care and along the way, Katara ended up leading her to the make-shift make-up station set up on the opposite side of the room. She took her seat, Suki unloading all of her make-up supplies onto the vanity. Katara had the odd cosmetic back home in Republic City, but she’d never really found an interest in the practice like Suki had. She never really felt pressure to wear any, anyway. Especially when Aang seemed to find her captivating in either sense. He always snubbed out even the slightest notion of insecurity that crept up on her from time to time.

Suki came up behind her to begin pulling her hair back from her face and tying it in a loose ponytail, their eyes meeting in the mirror. “I’ve got a few ideas I wanna run by you before we get started.”

“Fire away!” Katara said with enthusiasm. “You’re the expert, after all.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far.” Suki blushed.

“I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it was true.” Exclaimed the waterbender.

Suki gave her a warm smile. “Thanks, Kat. And really, I was thinking something simple overall… some warm-toned colour on your lids will really bring out your eyes. But not too much, I promise.”

“Yeah, whatever you think suits me.” She nodded.

“And I’ve got this gorgeous lipstick that’ll be the perfect shade for you!”

“Sounds perfect.” Katara easily complied.

“You sure?” Suki quizzed.

The waterbender nodded with a gentle smile. “I’m sure! But hey, what do you think about my hair?” Katara queried with a delicate frown between her brows. “Should I keep it down, or just go with my regular braid?”

“Hmm…” Suki thought on it as she looked at Katara’s reflection in the mirror, “Let’s make that decision once you’re dressed, what do you think?” Suki cocked an excited brow.

“I guess your right.” Katara agreed, though when she took her next breath, her exhale shook a little, alerting Suki and making a worried frown crease between her brows.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m just…” she sighed, trying to calm the beating of her heart that seemed to come out of nowhere every now and again, “I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed now that it’s finally happening.”

It’s not that the waterbender was scared to get married to Aang, it was the more trivial worries that sent her body into fight or flight mode. Thing’s like all the people who would be watching her walk down the aisle, saying her vows and making sure she didn’t forget anything, how everyone in gran-gran’s hut was here for her. Katara had never been one to crumble under pressure and yet a few pairs of eyes on her today made her nerves surge out of control. It was all felt so public in her mind, so grand, and so she couldn’t help feeling extremely relieved that they’d decided to have a more private ceremony in the South Pole. The bride-to-be could feel her nerves rising unchecked while preparing to get married in front of fifty-odd people, let alone hundreds or thousands in Republic City like it was initially meant to be. Only the spirits knew what would have become of her if that had been the case.

“Katara,” Suki soothed, walking around the chair to hold her face in her hands, “I felt just like you do right now. The best advice I have for you is to think about what all this means, what you’re going to find when you’re dressed and ready, and, most importantly, who’s going to be waiting for you.” Suki smirked playfully before raising a brow. “And believe me, from what I’ve heard, you’re not the only one feeling a little nervous.” Katara’s cheeks blushed at the indirect mention of Aang and his state of mind. She hadn’t seen him for almost three days thanks to marriage traditions in the South, so she didn't have a clue how her Fiancé was fairing. Katara had had half a mind to expect Aang to sneak into her room one of the nights prior, but he’d been surprisingly vigilant and disciplined when it came to sticking close to her tribe’s wedding customs. She was thoroughly impressed by his determination, but she missed him dearly, and she couldn’t wait to finally see him again. “These nerves you’re feeling right now? They’re good nerves, I’m telling you.”

Katara frowned delicately. “Are you sure?”

“I promise.” Suki nodded earnestly. “But let me ask you something… How do you honestly feel? Under all those nerves. When you think about marrying him, what do you feel?”

“I feel…” Katara contemplated all the emotions swirling through her body and her brain, and it all encompassed one core feeling that was so strong that she was beaming before she even spoke the word out loud. “I feel excited. Really excited.”

“See? That’s it. Just focus on that feeling, okay? Nothing else.”

Katara sighed a breath, trying to focus like she said and already feeling those heavy nerves that weighed down her chest slowly morphing into butterflies. “Okay. Good nerves... I’ve got this.”

“Of course you do, girl! Let’s get you ready.” Suki smiled sweetly, leaning in to press a kiss to Katara’s cheek before going to the vanity and gathering a few of her make-up supplies. The second the first featherlight touch of a brush was felt on Katara’s face, the gravity of the situation really began to solidify in her mind.

A few streets down in Hakoda’s home, the Avatar paced the length of the living room with Momo perched atop his shoulder, the lemur letting out little chirps every time the young man sharply switched his direction. Back and forth, back and forth, over and over again as his mind raced faster than he could ever try to keep up with.

What if he was late? Sure, he has dressed already and had been for the past hour and, yes, he’d made sure every last bit of stubble had been shaved clean off his jaw and his head, but what if something got in the way? What if he needed to use the bathroom again? What if he tripped on the walk to the venue and ruined his clothes? What if she didn’t like what he was wearing? What if—?

“Aang!” Yelled Sokka as he whipped the Avatar around to look at him (or rather look a little up at him - Aang had shot up like a Banyan-Grove tree over the past year alone) and the warrior couldn’t ignore the storm of worry swirling in the Avatar’s grey eyes. “Snap out of it!" He ordered, shaking him by his shoulders and finally pulling the Avatar from his inner turmoil. "Spirits, Aang... it’s like the invasion all over again.”

Problem was, that inner turmoil was now being projected outwardly, Aang's face twisted in worry. “No it isn’t, Sokka! There’s so much more at stake here and I can’t mess up! I can’t! Don’t you get it?!”

“No. I don’t. None of us gets it.” Sokka emphasised with a gesture to Zuko and Hakoda, the only other two men in the room who nodded their agreement. “You’ve gotta tell us what’s got you so worried so we can help you, Aang.”

The Avatar let out a defeated sort of sound, a mix between a scoff and a laugh, as he shrugged out of Sokka’s hold. “What doesn’t have me worried is an easier question to answer. So much could go wrong tonight, Sokka, the list is literally endless! I-I might be late! Or I might mess up my clothes or I could trip and fall on my way there! And, better yet, I could get there and Katara might realise what a big mistake she’s making and that she can’t be with me because I’m the Avatar and she deserves more than I can give her and... and—“

“Now, hold on there, son—“

“No, Hakoda… I-I’m sorry. I know you gave us your blessing but… but what if she changes her mind? What if she realises that a life with me isn’t what she wants? I can't help thinking the worst! I can't--”

Hakoda stormed right to the young man whose face was the image of anxiety, eyes glassy and telling the Chieftan that the worry and insecurity he felt was indeed very, very real. He grabbed him by the shoulder tightly, giving it a hard squeeze while locking his eyes hard on the grey irises of the Avatar, boring into his soul. “Aang, you listen to me. Alright? You are one of the wisest men I have ever come to know in my life. I know you would never make a decision as final as this one unless you knew without a doubt it was the right one… and I may not see my Daughter as much as I would like to, but... after every moment I have spent with her since the war ended, there is one thing I am completely sure of... and that is her love for you.”

Those words from Hakoda seemed to break through the trepidation that had been drowning the Avatar in what ifs and worst-case scenarios. That knot between his brow seemed to loosen just a little, and he found himself wanting to know what else his soon-to-be father-in-law had to say.

“Her love is deep for you, Aang. I have no doubt that those feelings will last forever. I promise you that there is nothing for Katara to change her mind about tonight, because she made her mind up about you a long time ago and I don’t think anything - not even you - could convince her to decide otherwise.” Every word that had come from Hakoda’s mouth was fully genuine, soothing the pointless distress that had been sending Aang out of his mind. The core reason why Hakoda’s speech had calmed Aang so easily was that every word was rooted in truth... every word was inherently easy for him to believe. Because in the very core of his being, he knew Katara loved him as much as he loved her. “Do you hear me, Aang?”

The Avatar bowed his head, taking in a slow, deep breath before giving a clear, calm answer. “Yes, Chief Hakoda.”

“I’m sure you know even better than I do that my daughter can be… pretty stubborn.” That unexpected comment made Aang laugh, and Hakoda flashed him a smile, glad to see he had gotten through to him in the end. “She’s just as stubborn about you. Deep down, you know there is nothing to worry about. Don’t you, son?”

Aang nodded his head, taking in another breath as he let the words truly sink in, to replace the negativity with the truth of love and commitment. Love that Katara and Aang felt for each other. Commitment that they would soon promise to keep. “I do. I know you’re right. Spirits… Thank you, Hakoda. Truly. I know I was being irrational… I just… I can’t help but worry.”

“Which is pretty dumb,” Sokka chimed in, “my sister adores you. She did say yes when you proposed, didn’t she? Or did I make that up and this whole wedding thing is actually a dream?”

Aang couldn’t help the brief flash of a smile that brightened his features the second the memory flashed in his mind. The beach. Him down on one knee. Katara crying tears of joy as she said yes too many times for Aang to count. “No... she definitely said yes.”

“Exactly!” Sokka chuckled with a sharp elbow nudge to Aang’s arm. “Stop being a jerk!”

“I’m sorry! You know how I get when I’m stressed— hey!”

Sokka swiftly pulled the Avatar into a head-lock.

“Oh, we know. Idiot.” Teased the soon-to-be brother-in-law after his attack, Momo flying off to instead perch himself atop Zuko’s head. There was a brief moment of silence where all three men stared at the Fire Lord lounging by the fireplace who had been silent for the entire exchange and was silent now as well. The look on his face, however, gave away how utterly unamused he was at the lemur currently messing up his hair. The three men suddenly laughed altogether at Zuko’s chagrin, Sokka’s headlock quickly dissolving into a friendly arm around Aang’s shoulder.

Zuko huffed out a sigh. “Are you all going to stand there and laugh or is someone going to get this thing off of me?”

“Alright, alright... Momo, come on,” Aang chuckled, stretching out his arm for the lemur to land on, “leave his Royal grumpiness alone.”

None but Sokka seemed to find that joke hilarious by the sound of his guffaw, and despite it all, Momo stayed right where he was as Zuko begrudgingly sipped at his drink, a far lighter atmosphere ironically taking over the space.

* * *

A few hours had passed and everyone was dressed and ready. It may have taken a little more effort to get Toph into her bridesmaid’s gown. Still, anyone could see the earth bender secretly enjoyed it - especially when all the Water Tribe women paid her compliments, telling her how pretty she looked. There seemed to be the constant ghost of a smile on her face.

That was nothing compared to how the room erupted with aws of praise the second Katara entered the living room area in her bridal attire.

“Oh, Katara!”

“Wow! You look like a princess!”

“Such a beautiful young woman.”

“The most gorgeous bride!”

“Oh, spirits… if only Kya could see her now.”

“Stunning! Absolutely stunning!”

“Your mother would be so delighted!”

“Kya would be so proud.”

The constant voices and eyes on her began to blur and mould together into one, all the while she continued to be pleasant, to give kind smiles and grateful nods as if she was listening.

Really? On the inside? Katara was trying her damnedest to keep it together.

The compliments she could handle. Yes. But the mere mention of her mother? No. Even after years of making peace with her loss, of fighting to think only happy things when her mother came to mind, just the simple comparison between her and her dead mother on a day as important as this sent her backwards. Way back. Suddenly that wound was fresh and bleeding and she was 8 years old all over again.

Thank the spirits for Toph's shoeless state on the rug right now, because if it weren’t for her feeling the spike in Katara’s heartbeat and the way her breathing became rapid, Katara was sure she would’ve broken down in front of everyone.

“All right everyone, let’s quit the chatter and skedaddle, yeah? Give the girl some space.” Her headstrong demand earned a few shocked gasps from other women in the hut, yet still, they did as she said and dispersed, clearing a path for the earth bender to stand by her best friend’s side. Toph was always good at that, and Katara couldn’t be more grateful. “Yo, Suki. Wanna weigh in over here?”

“I’m fine. I’m okay.” Katara assured her friend, though it was harder to keep the tears from filling her eyes when she saw the look on Suki’s face and even Kanna's as she made her way over. “I-I’m fine.” She tried again, yet this time her voice shook.

“What happened?” Suki asked with a gentle hand on Katara's back. “Did someone say something?”

“Katara, sweetheart,” Kanna soothed, taking the girl’s hands into her own. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing! I-I’m fine!” The waterbender tried to smile through her pain, though her eyes glistened. “Spirits, I don’t want to cry! I’m happy! Really!”

Suki rubbed her friend's back. “Hey, we can fix your make-up, it’s no big deal if you need to cry.”

Katara sighed, frustrated with herself. “I know, I know… I'll be fine. And Toph… thanks for that.”

The earth bender smiled, but she could still feel the pounding of the water benders heart. “Don’t sweat it, sugar queen.”

Kanna caressed the backs of Katara's hands with her thumbs, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. “Are you having second thoughts, dear?”

“Spirit’s, no!” The girl exclaimed with a tinge of defence in her tone. “It’s nothing like that, I just… I can’t help wishing… that… that mom was here.” She thought she had her walls up high and sturdy, yet the second she confessed her worries aloud, acknowledged the absence of Kya outright, her lip trembled and Kanna realised the depth of the situation. Especially when a tear dripped down her face of its own accord. Katara hastily wiped it away.

“Oh, Katara.” Breathed Kanna in understanding, pulling the waterbender down into a hug which she reciprocated as if reaching for a lifeline. The dam broke loose at that moment and the sobs poured from her lips, uncontrolled. It was only then that she realised the root of all her worries throughout the day, suppressed until the second she heard her mother's name. Suki and Toph’s faces were both marred with sympathetic frowns as they listened to the heartbreaking sound of their friend crying, wishing they could take her pain away. Especially on such a happy day.

“She was supposed to be here with me, gran-gran… she was meant to help me get ready, she was meant to be here watching me walk down the aisle!” Katara sobbed, trying her damnedest to hold in the tears, but they just wouldn’t stop. Suki tentatively reached out to lay a hand on Katara’s shoulder, hoping to give her friend the support she needed in some way. Just being there for her was enough, but her friend's still wished they could do more.

“Shh… it’s alright Katara... I know that Kya is gone… But she will be with you for as long as you remember her, honey… your mother is in your blood. She is in your heart and in your thoughts. Kya lives inside you, through you, and that is how sh wi'll be there with you as you walk down the aisle. She lives on in your memory, in the love you feel for her, and even in your face. You have reminded me so much of Kya today, and although it may hurt a great deal to remember what I have lost - what we have lost - I find myself feeling… grateful that I can look at you today and feel her presence through you.” The older woman smiled, tears filling her own eyes as she hugged her granddaughter tighter once more. When they parted from their embrace, Kanna reached up to dab away the wet streaks that stained Katara’s cheeks gently, wishing to sooth the scars that had opened once again.

Katara sniffed wetly, taking Kanna's hand and giving her a weak smile. Even though the absence of her mother brought so much grief, hearing her Grandmother speak so positively was enough to dull the pain. “That was so beautiful, Gran-gran… I know this must be hard for you too and I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you say such a thing. This is a happy day with nothing to be sorry about, do you understand?”

Katara nodded, letting herself believe without guilt that today was in fact a joyous day. One her mother would have been ecstatic about. “Yes, gran-gran. I know.”

“That’s my girl.” Kanna smiled carefully, giving Katara’s face one last caress with her wrinkled palm. “Now let your dear friend Suki fix up your make-up. It’s almost time to go.”

The water bender felt a wave of anticipation flood her body, her chest heaving with the deep breath she took.

“There’s barely anything to fix, anyways. You look beautiful as always, Katara.” Suki grinned, hand stroking her back in a gesture of comfort that Katara deeply appreciated.

“I would say the same,” blurted the earth bender, “but you know I can’t see shit—“

“Toph! Language!” Gasped the old woman.

“Oops.” She got out without laughing by some miracle. Katara and Suki snickered at Toph getting told off for once -- usually her colourful tongue was accepted without question, but not in front of gran-gran. “Sorry, Kanna. Won’t happen again!”

“Better not, young lady. A wedding is no place for such language.”

“Gran-gran,” Katara lightly chastised through a chuckle, “Toph gets it. She won’t do it again.”

The earth bender lay a palm on her chest and put on her best act of innocence. “I’m usually not such a potty mouth, I swear.”

“She’s really not, Gran-gran” Suki added, even as Katara and Suki shared knowing looks that Kanna didn’t catch.

“Well… alright then. I’ll go see to it that Anika and the other women are ready to go.” She walked off. “Don’t take too long now. I’m sure Hakoda will be leaving soon.”

“We won’t,” Suki assured the older woman before guiding Katara back to the vanity chair. “Really, it's only your under-eyes and cheeks that need a little fixing, other than that you’re perfect!”

“Suki… You really think so?”

“Of course.” Suki beamed as she hugged her friend gently from the side so as to not mess up her hair. “I love what you did with your hair, and I think Aang is going to love it, too.”

At the mention of her fiancé, Katara’s body flushed, a giddy sort of smile fighting its way onto her mauve-tinted lips. “I really hope so.”

“Oh, we know so, sweetness.” Smirked the blunt earth bender. “Twinkles can’t get enough of you any other day. I wouldn’t be surprised if he passes out the second he sees you tonight.”

“How would you know?” Katara teased. “Thought you couldn’t see shit?”

Suki laughed as she worked away at Katara’s face, a light atmosphere between the three of them. “Oh, I get to feel enough vibrations anytime I’m around you two, and, let me tell you, I’m not sure his heart can take much more.”

Katara blushed hard at that tidbit of information which she knew was quite obviously exaggerated, but it still made her feel good to know his heart still fluttered when he saw her. There was no denying that her's does, too.

Suddenly any and all unwanted thoughts and feelings gave way to that excitement once again, and Katara took Suki’s advice, grabbing onto the emotion and holding it as tight as she could. There was absolutely nothing to worry about, and finally, it seemed like she was starting to truly believe her own thoughts. That conclusion was massively relieving.

* * *

“So, Appa’s already down there.” Sokka ticked off with one finger.

“Yep.” Chimed Aang.

“And we've got Momo.”

“Right here.” Zuko muttered, the lemur chirping from his shoulder as though he knew he was being talked about.

“What about you, Aang, you all set?”

“Yeah. I’m ready.” The avatar answered with a shaky breath, Sokka clocking the sound and giving him a slap to his back (that hurt his hand more than it hurt Aang).

“Enough with the nerves! You’ve got this, Aang!”

“I never would have thought a wedding would scare the Avatar this much.” Zuko unhelpfully commented though Aang found the humour in his words as always, chuckling in self-deprecation.

“Yeah, well… I guess the Avatar can be a bit of a wimp sometimes.”

Zuko gave his friend a shrug and a careful look that made Aang think he was getting at something else. “Or maybe you’re just scared about the whole consummation thing--“

“UGH! OOGIES!” Sokka yelled and slammed his hands against his ears, much like how he did when he was younger.

“For Agni’s sake— Sokka, you know it’s going to happen and you know that’s probably why he’s so nervous—!“

“I DON'T HEAR YOU! LA LA LA LA LA…—!”

“Yeah… about that, Zuko…” started Aang, his hand rubbing at the back of his head. He was nervous, there was no denying it, but he also couldn’t find the courage to broach the subject with his friends. Aang tried to will himself to talk about it now that the opportunity was right in front of him, though just when he was about to let his concerns loose, looking across at Zuko to see his golden irises full of concern, the Avatar found himself chickening out. “Don’t talk about that kind of stuff in front of Sokka.” He gave his friend a sheepish grin and Zuko could only roll his eyes in response.

"Okay, fine." Scoffed the Fire Lord. "But trust me, Aang, there’s nothing to be scared of. Just—”

“ARE YOU DONE?!”

Aang patted Sokka on the back and he finally dropped his hands from his ears. Aang didn’t really want to talk about it, either. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

Sokka carefully lifted his hands from his ears, staring at Aang in distrust.

“We didn’t even say anything, Sokka.” Laughed Aang.

“Whatever.” The warrior droned with an unbothered wave of his hand, back to his busy-body self. “Let’s keep it moving! We’ve got a tight schedule to follow. Dad left like ten minutes ago so that means Katara will be there soon! And Aang, you said so yourself, you can’t be late, so…—”

Aang and Zuko shared a meaningful look, the two of them laughing silently at the idea that their Water Tribe friend, no matter how many years went on, would never change.

* * *

The venue for the ceremony was outside in a beautiful courtyard with a fountain in the centre, and, thankfully, Katara noticed that the snow from earlier had stopped. The woman tipped her head up to see the sky how she had predicted it to be earlier - clouds opaque and blending into the night sky, blocking hundreds of stars as well as the moon, though Yue’s glow still seemed to create a halo of light through the patches that were sparse enough. The South Pole city silhouette was speckled with golden squares and rectangles of firelight shining through the windows of peoples’ homes. In its own right, the landscape was beautiful. Though still, she found herself clinging onto her father’s arm as if for dear life.

From where they were just outside the courtyard, Katara could hear the murmur of her close family, friends, and a few other people from the tribe who were invited by her grandmother simply because they had known Katara when she was growing up. She was so grateful that her friends had made the trip all the way to the south pole to celebrate her wedding. Even Mai was able to make the journey with Zuko, though they would be leaving early enough the next day to get back to their duties in the Fire Nation.

The whole thing was just so daunting regardless of the fact there weren’t a lot of people attending as she’d initially anticipated after deciding to marry the Avatar. If they’d had the wedding in the United Republic of Nations like they’d been expected to, then Katara knew the crowd probably would have spread indefinitely, full of strangers and faces she’d never seen before in her life simply trying to catch a glimpse of the avatar and the heroes of the hundred-year war. Katara was relieved to hear that Aang wanted to limit their guest list, too, giving way to a more intimate celebration with only those she knew and trusted. That’s also the reason why they decided to have the ceremony at night - the later the ceremony, the fewer people up and about to nosy in on what was the most important day of Katara and Aang’s lives so far.

The bride and her father were waiting patiently for the entry music to begin playing, Katara like a coiled spring. Her gloved fingers drummed incessantly at her father's arm with sheer impatience, anticipation and adrenaline coursing through her veins. She was literally raring to go, bouncing on the balls of her feet with a pounding heart during which one thought kept creeping up in her brain.

What in the spirit realm was taking them so long?

Katara let out a heaving sigh, making her father laugh at her impatience. “Relax. It’s only been a few minutes.”

“I can’t deal with the waiting.” She huffed.

Hakoda gave his daughter a teasing smile. “I know. I’m sure Aang feels the same way.”

“Yeah.” Sighed the young woman, feeling her face heat up and her heart race because after three days apart, they were finally going to see each other again. She prayed to the spirits that the band would get on with it already and just—

The first tune of traditional Water Tribe wedding music began playing, Katara feeling both surprised and pleased at the timing of it all. Relieved as she was, the rustle of clothes and feet as the whole courtyard of guests stood in waiting for her entrance made her heart skip a million beats at once.

“Spirit’s…” her voice shook. “I don’t know if I can do this, dad.”

“Sure you can,” Hakoda reassured his daughter, genuinely believing what he was telling her, pressing a kiss to the side of her temple as if to press the words there forever. “You’re my Daughter. You can do anything.”

Katara stared up at her dad and he gave her this melancholic smile. That one look was enough for Katara to understand that this moment was an intensely happy and sad moment for him all at the same time. “Dad…”

“And you know, the best part of this is that you won’t have to do it alone. You’ve got Aang to do it with you, and I have absolutely no doubts that he won’t do anything and everything in his power to make you the happiest you can possibly be.”

Now Katara’s face was beaming with a smile brighter than the stars if they had been visible above, a face filled with more genuine joy than Hakoda could have ever dreamed about seeing on his daughter's face. “Of course, he will, dad, I love him. I can't thank you enough for giving us your blessing.”

“It was a no brainer, really." he chuckled. "I can’t think of anyone more deserving of my daughter than the Avatar.”

“The Avatar…?” she chastised him with a playful nudge, her father laughing heartily.

“Okay, sorry. Aang. Even if he wasn’t the Avatar.”

“That sounds better.” Approved the water bender with a squeeze of her father's arm.

She sighed, looking ahead to the archway on the right of them and tensed up with a slow and even breath in and out. “Should we get moving?”

Katara nodded after a slight second of hesitance, swallowing down past the lump in her throat and willing herself to make peace with her trepidation. To realise, once she got passed this part, all that was left to do was trust in love. “Yeah. I think I’ve kept him waiting long enough.”

Hakoda released a low chuckle. “You’re just like your mother… guess I’ll have to give Aang some advice myself. Come on.”

And instead of feeling like she could cry at the mention of Kya, Katara felt a smile as it grew wider on her lips at the idea of Aang and her father bonding. Soon her dad was leading her straight to the arch wall, curtained with hanging blue flowers that drifted in the gentle breeze. One more calming breath that failed to slow the hammering of the bride's heart against her ribcage, a signalling look to her father, and they were stepping through the waterfall of petals and into the courtyard.

If Katara thought her heart couldn’t beat any harder, she was wrong.

Every single guest in the courtyard was standing on their feet and facing her and her dad. She felt the anxiety rise up her body, flooding her limbs, settling into her stomach like a swirling storm of terror that made the urge to run seem like a good idea. She could barely even hear the music with the way the sound of her blood rushing drowned out her ears, though her dad held her tighter, grounded her.

That was until she looked straight ahead and saw him.

Then it was him grounding her.

The sight of Aang alone was enough for Katara to feel her nerves dissolve and melt away, dripping off of her body like water off a turtle-ducks shell. She felt loved, and she felt whole again knowing that only a short walk forward would bring them back together again at last, where they belonged. Where they were meant to be. Together.

Hakoda started walking and Katara followed his lead without thinking at all. No one except Aang held her attention in the entire courtyard and nothing could possibly threaten her focus. All of the guests were watching her, in awe of her beauty, while she watched Aang, completely tunnel-visioned. The closer she got to him, the more she saw of him, and consequently the easier it was for her to see how handsome he looked. She couldn’t help the way her eyes wandered, trying to take all of him in.

Aang wore his traditional colours - orange, red, yellow and brown - though they had adapted his regular robes to withstand the cold of the South Pole and fit in with the Southern traditions. He wore a high-necked tunic with long sleeves, his red cape draping over his shoulders. His trousers and shoes were the same, his clothes looking exactly how a typical Water Tribe man’s attire on a wedding day would except for the colours, and Katara felt so grateful to realise he had intertwined their cultures together. Aang looked incredible, the water bender shaking her head at him as if to say ‘how dare you show up here looking like this’, but when her gaze landed on his face, she realised he’d beat her to it. The groom couldn’t decide between staring at her face in awe or giving her another once-over, just for good measure. She giggled quietly to herself at the look of wonder on his face as he committed everything about her to memory without shame.

Though Aang wasn’t the only one staring in awe at the bride, and for good reason, at that.

Katara was wearing an indigo and white wedding gown. The neckline was high and tight-fitting, the sleeves long and gradually widening down the length of her arm, the sleeve cuffs draping down to her knees. The bodice was made of thick fabric but moulded to her torso, flaring at her hips and creating a long train of fabric that trailed behind her along the ice floor as she walked. Every hem was lined with white fur, and delicate patterns of embroidery coloured white and sky blue accented the bottoms of the skirt and the sleeves, making the dress unlike any other. Katara would rather compare the blue colour to Aang’s tattoos, however. That is why she asked for the design, after all — the swirls in the stitching were meant to represent his born element. Even how she styled her hair was decided with her fiancé in mind. Half of her hair was styled in a tidy bun with two pins holding it in place, azure gems hanging from the accessory and of course with her hair loops securely in place. The rest of her hair hung in thick waves down over her back, Katara knowing that Aang would love all of those details. To top it all off, she had matching dangling gold and blue crystal earrings with her betrothal necklace sitting pride of place above the dress’s collar, complimenting her outfit in perfect harmony as it glittered in the lantern lights flanking the aisle.

The closer she got to him, the wider both their smiles grew, and all of a sudden, she found that they had fallen into each other's eyes instead, a silent conversation passing between them that only they could decipher. Only a few steps later and she could see her love in full detail, could find the shape of the fire light flickering within his grey eyes.

“Aang.”

“Cheif Hakoda.” Aang nodded once, reaching out for Hakoda to place Katara’s right hand into the Avatar’s left palm.

“I trust you to look after her, Aang,” the older man spoke only to Aang, separate from the traditional ceremony that was moments from commencing. “Don’t let me down.”

“I won’t ever let you or Katara down. You have my word.” Aang gave him a short bow.

Hakoda nodded, giving Aang a genuine smile in parting. Though he didn’t leave before giving his daughter one last kiss on the forehead before making his way to his seat, finally leaving Katara and Aang alone together at the altar side by side at the base of the fountain.

Aang intertwined their fingers, pulling her captivating blue eyes to gaze up at him with unadulterated adoration swimming in their depths.

“Hey, sweetie,” Katara whispered with the squeeze of his hand.

“Hi, sweetie.” He whispered back.

“You’re looking very handsome.” Teased the girl with the ghost of a smirk, though when she heard the common chuckle of a few of her friends in the crowd, she realised with sheer mortification that the music had already stopped and everyone had heard. Her head slowly turned to the guests and her cheeks burned when she saw a multitude of grinning faces. “Oh, spirits…” Katara sighed, gripping Aang’s hand tight and turning her back to the guests to stand by his side, making him chuckle by her side.

“Hey. Don’t worry about anyone else.” Her love whispered by her ear in reassurance.

It’s just you and me.

Katara was transported back to the war, to the party they threw in that Fire Nation cave, and she was forgetting all about her embarrassment, glancing up at him with a playful smirk.

“It’s just you and me, right?” She said under her breath.

“Right.” A knowing smile tugged at Aang lips as he reminisced as well.

But before they could continue their banter, the Shaman was calling for their and the guest’s attention.

The wedding ceremonies in the South were almost entirely composed of a set of pre-determined speeches and blessings, right down to their wedding vows. It was tradition and had been for centuries now. Everyone involved knew where to stand, what to do, what to say, how to respond — it was a rehearsed set of events, for lack of a better word, though that didn’t dull the emotions brought about when marrying two people. All those directly involved had been well versed on the happenings during the ceremony, each person well aware of the part they had to play. And once every step was complete, they would be married and the real celebrations could finally begin. But with this inside knowledge came impatience. Now, Katara and Aang found themselves on edge for a different reason — they wanted time to speed up so they could just be married already.

The rustle of guests taking their seats at the Shaman’s gesture echoed in the open space and brought the couple to attention... except, the elder’s whole introductory speech mostly went over both their heads. Especially Katara’s since she kept getting distracted with every brush of Aang’s thumb across the back of her gloved hand. She hated that a piece of fabric separated his skin from hers, and after so many days apart, the couple were understandably becoming restless. Though for the sake of her culture and their morals, they tried their best to listen. It may have taken an enormous amount of willpower, but finally, she focused in on the Shaman's voice.

“… loved ones and the spirits above, bear witness today as we join Aang of the Southern Air temple and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe together in sacred matrimony. I call upon the bridesmaids and the groomsmen to give their blessings.”

Suki, Toph, Sokka and Zuko made their way to the alter and stood in front of the couple to be married. A few smiles were exchanged here and there before the shaman started to speak once more.

“If you would all please repeat after me to bestow your blessings upon the bride and groom… We call upon the great spirits Tui and La to bless the marital union between Aang and Katara.”

“We call upon the great spirits Tui and La to bless the marital union between Aang and Katara.” Spoke their friends in unison.

“We ask that their ancestors watch over their life together and protect the sacred bond between them.”

Again, they repeated, though Katara noticed the glistening of her brother's eyes and their gazes locked for a moment. A moment long enough that she felt her breath catch in her throat.

“We promise to support Aang and Katara on their eternal journey together,”

Their friends repeated the shaman’s words dutifully and with genuine promise, Aang squeezing Katara’s hand as they listened, feeling how much their friends meant what they said.

“And we will bear witness as love, care, and respect strengthens the bond of their relationship.”

Surprising everyone, Sokka was silently crying as he spoke and Katara couldn’t stop it as her eyes began to fill with tears as well. She rarely saw her brother cry, and for that reason, it was as if she could feel what he was feeling. Aang noticed right away, his other hand reaching for her cheek to gently wipe away a stray tear that made it's way down her cheek.

“We bless this marriage.”

“We bless this marriage.” Finished their friends with loving smiles.

“Thank you, guys.” Aang bowed and Katara copied him as part of their rehearsed response, though she was afraid that if she tried to speak, more tears would fall, so she kept silent.

“The bridesmaids and groomsmen can now return to their seats.” Instructed the Shaman with a bow of his own. Suki gave the couple a wide smile before guiding Toph back down to their seats on the left behind Katara and Zuko went right back to his seat behind Aang, leading the way for Sokka to follow, but before her brother could go, Katara reached out in front of Aang to grab his hand, stopping him in his tracks.

“Don’t cry, Sokka.” She begged with a trembling voice.

“Don’t worry!” He choked, smiling through the tears at his little sister. “These are the happiest tears ever! You guys… you really deserve each other. Really.”

“Sokka… you don’t know how much that means to me. To us.” Katara whimpered.

“Oh, don’t mention it. I’m fine.” He sniffed, squeezing her hand. “I’ll leave you guys to it.” The warrior whispered as he slipped his hand from hers, giving them both a thumbs up that the couple managed to laugh, the warrior swiftly returning to his seat.

“Are you alright?” Asked Aang softly, and Katara gave him a short nod in reply. She just grabbed his hand tighter, leaning more into his side as the Shaman cleared his throat, ready to continue with the ceremony.

“The blessings of Aang and Katara’s loved one’s have been received, and by the grace of the spirits, I recognise the promises made by Sokka, Zuko, Toph and Suki to be strong and true. Now, I ask the bride and groom to honour their love and commitment to one another through the exchange of vows. If the groom would like to proceed.” With a gesture to Aang from the older man, Aang took a slow breath in and out before turning around to face Katara, taking her other hand in his, and he found himself utterly captivated by her beauty the instant he looked at her. Dazed. She was almost glowing.

“Wow…”

The guests laughed at his dreamy sigh and so too did Katara, bushing at his flattery. A sheepish smile graced the Avatar’s lips as he addressed the crowd.

“Sorry… I just can’t believe this is happening.”

“Me neither!” Joked Toph in a manner that served to dissolve any of Aang’s leftover nerves about speaking in front of everyone thanks to the light-hearted laughter that had risen among the guests. He realised at that one, singular moment how very human this was. If everyone felt comfortable enough to laugh with his friend, then he knew without a doubt that he could do this. This was easy.

Aang cleared his throat, turning his attention back to his bride, his grey irises full of adoration as they darted between her oceanic depths. He caressed the backs of her gloved hands, trying to gather his thoughts, to order them. To remember what he was meant to say. “Katara… I…”

“You’ve got this.” She whispered only to him, and his heart fluttered, the girl of his dreams squeezing his hands in a bid to send him support. To give him strength - and, of course it, worked. From then on, the vows he learned but meant with all his heart came easy to him. He barely even had to think, now that he remembered what all of this was for. Who this was for. Katara. The love of his life.

“Katara… I promise to be your shelter, protecting you from all that threatens to do harm. I promise to love you for all that you are, no matter the circumstances we may find ourselves in… I promise to be what you need. In sickness, in health. In good times, and in bad. You will never feel coldness, for my heart will keep you warm. You will never feel lonely, for my soul is forever bound to yours. To the spirits I pray that our bond will only ever grow stronger, and that as two people in love, leading one life together, we will become the best versions of ourselves. As your husband, Katara, I ask for your trust that I will fulfil every promise I make today” Aang squeezed Katara’s hands, finally breathing easy now that he got his vow out smoothly. Though the sight of Katara smiling up at him with starry eyes made the man feel the urge to just pull her against his chest.

“I trust you, Aang.” Came her response, and Aang couldn’t help but beam… because this was it. They were so, so close now.

“And if the bride could now proceed with her vows.”

Katara tightened her grip on Aang’s hands, staring up at him as it really, truly dawned on her that this man, his eyes glittering in the golden firelight, was going to be her husband at last. The joy was written all over her face. Smiling was something held the capacity to avoid, infectious to every person that watched. She took a deep breath and let the words flow like water, too. “Aang. I promise to be your shelter, protecting you from all that threatens to do harm. I promise to love you for all that you are, no matter the circumstances we may find ourselves in. I promise to be what you need. In sickness… in health… in good times, and in bad. You will never feel coldness, for my heart will keep you warm. You will never feel lonely—“ Her voice shook, the weight of the truth in everything she was saying to him now blocking her throat and pushing up, her eyes stinging as they threatened to fill with tears.

This was more than just a wedding vow. Every single word came from the bottom of her heart. Thinking about how lonely Aang must have felt finding out about his people always played on her mind, and now, being able to promise him he would never feel loneliness like that again, made her feel a wave of relief.

Her eyes shut tight to try and fight off the urge to cry, but then she felt Aang as he leaned in, resting his forehead against hers as if to reassure her that he was there for her, too. That she herself was not alone. If she was worried about anyone other than her love, then she would have heard murmurs from the guests who watched with heavy hearts, but all that mattered to her was him. “I’m sorry—” She choked out.

“No…” he whispered. “Take your time, sweetie. It's not like i’m not going anywhere.” Aang tried to joke, and surprisingly it landed.

Katara let out the breath of a laugh despite her tears. “Yeah. Better not be.”

Aang laughed quietly with her, waiting with her, breathing with her. They could have stood like that forever, but whether they liked it or not, she had to finish her vows, so she willed herself to be strong. Katara nuzzled her nose against his once and pulled back with a sniff to continue at last (to Toph's delight - not being able to see properly was really getting in the way, though under it all, she had to say even she was moved).

“I promise that you will never feel lonely, for my soul is forever bound to yours… to the spirits, I pray that our bond will only ever grow stronger, and that as two people in love, leading one life together, we will become the best versions of ourselves. As your wife, Aang, I ask for your trust that I will fulfil every promise I make today.” The ocean of her eyes translated every emotion she felt for him and Aang knew without question that he trusted her with every fibre of his being. He always had and always will.

Aang spoke from his heart when he gave his response, sealing their vows at last. “I trust you, Katara. Always.”

A wide, toothy grin spread across Katara’s face, radiating so much joy that Aang physically felt it in his chest.

“Then I call upon Hakoda, the Head Chieftan of the Southern Watertribe and the father of the bride, to bring the ceremonial paint. Katara, if you could remove one of your gloves.”

The couple reluctantly loosened their grip on each other's hands and Katara carefully tugged off her glove. Hakoda came up to take the place of the Shaman, holding a shallow bowl of paint that automatically transported Aang back to one of the most shameful moments in his life. Though today, this paint would symbolise a memory of love and trust.

“Aang, paint the Mark of the Trusted on Katara’s forehead.”

The Avatar dipped his thumb into the navy blue paint held by Hakoda and then held Katara’s face with his free hand, carefully smearing a horizontal curved line on her forehead, giving her a sheepish smile that gave away the memory he was reminiscing on. She pursed her lips, trying not to laugh as Aang wiped the excess off of his thumb with a cloth Hakoda gave him. The two men shared a brief smile and then the attention was on Katara.

“Katara, paint the Mark of the Trusted on Aang’s forehead.”

The water bender dipped her thumb into the paint and without her having to ask, Aang leaned down the slightest to make it easier for her. She painted the mark of the trusted across the bottom of his arrow carefully and gave him a playful wink when he finished. Aang straightened up, fighting back a laugh, and after Katara cleaned the pad of her thumb, she pulled on her glove and they held hands once again, sharing this excited little look because they were almost there. Only a little more to go.

“Thank you, Chief Hakoda.” Said the officiant, sending the Head Chieftan down to his seat with a gentle hand on his shoulder. Katara smiled at her dad briefly as he went before turning her attention back to the shaman with Aang, a piece of long fabric resting in his palms. “This ceremonial marriage cloth has been used to wed water tribe men and women for hundreds of years,” he announced while wrapping the frayed-edged white cloth around Aang and Kataras joined hands three times. “Today, this cloth is used for the first time in history to join a person from the water tribe and a person from the Air Nation. Today proves that love transcends the barriers of all nations and cultures. Aang, Katara, are you prepared to begin your lives together as husband and wife?”

“We are.” The couple said confidently in unison.

“If anyone present has any reason to object to this marriage, please speak now.”

Katara and Aang briefly looked at the guests and saw nothing but smiling faces, so, relieved, they grinned back at each other, Katara practically bouncing on her feet.

“Very well. Then… with the power bestowed upon me by the spirits, I bless this union and declare you both Husband and Wife…” Katara and Aang were lost in each other, the former chomping at the bit and the latter grinning so hard his cheeks must have been burning. “I invite you to seal your promise with a—“

Katara stood on her tiptoes and crashed her lips against Aang without waiting a single second longer.

“Kiss.” The shaman finished with a laugh and the whole crowd of guests fell into laughter together. Though that laughter quickly turned into claps and cheers of celebration for the newlyweds.

“Finally!” Cheered Toph, both happy for her friends and glad the blurry ceremony was over, though Suki didn’t even have the heart to tell her off. She was too happy for her friends who were lost in one another at the altar, sealing their love like nobody was watching. It was adorable. And it was one hell of a long time coming.

“Ugh! I can’t deal with the oogies!” Exclaimed Sokka in what sounded like irritation… sort of. That is if it weren’t for the obvious way he was trying to conceal his tears. Zuko could see right through the Water Tribe warrior after years of knowing him.

Well, actually... it was the wet trails staining his cheeks that gave it away, but the Fire Lord was too stubborn to admit that.

“Are they ever gonna stop?!” Croaked the warrior even as he clapped.

“You’re one to talk, Sokka,” replied Zuko with a laugh, still clapping for his friends. “Last I remember, you and Suki ran into the reception time with that kiss.”

“Oh whatever. This is different.” He huffed, though the wet sniffs were still coming one after another and all Zuko could do was shake his head in amusement.

A few of the Water Tribe warriors suddenly began to ululate together in celebration of the union, the guests all getting to their feet as the cheers grew in volume. It truly was a beautiful night, one that would never be forgotten for those lucky enough to be a witness.

When Aang and Katara softly parted from each other, it was like the world suddenly solidified around them again and only then had they finally noticed the commotion. For a moment, as they kissed, it was only Aang and Katara in the world. Only her lips pressed against his.

A boyish look of awe passed over Aang’s face when he heard the Tribe’s celebratory calls. The way his wide eyes captured the moment endeared his wife to no end. “That’s so cool! I’ve never heard anything like it!”

“I haven’t heard it since I was a kid.” She answered him back with similar awe in her tone. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

“Yeah! But… not as amazing as this.” He cheesily replied, eyes glittering as he shook his head in what seemed like disbelief. He couldn't believe it. It all felt like a dream come true. “We really did it, sweetie.” Grinned Aang, his smile infectious to Katara. Then he turned his attention to his animal companion, pure delight written all over his face. "We did it, Appa!"

The beast roared in response, Katara grinning up at him, feeling charmed by him all over again. He smiled brightly down at her, those blue orbs of hers wide and enamoured with him.

“We really did it, Aang.” She repeated wistfully. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Aang professed deeply, ready to lean into another kiss when she suddenly let go of his hands and passed the ceremonial cloth over to the shaman’s clapping hands. Initially, he was bemused at the impulsive action, but the moment she looked back up at him with mischief glistening in her eyes, sliding her hands up his chest, Aang realised there was absolutely nothing to worry about. She smirked at him deviously. “Now. Would my husband care to give me a proper kiss?”

“Oh, absolutely. Anything for my wife.” Aang grinned, reaching to hold her face in his hands and leaning in to slot his lips between hers slowly, savouring her as if they had all the time in the world. Katara hummed into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him even closer. They moved in perfect synchrony, passion and love fueling every brush of their lips. Aang's hands dropped to her waist, pulling her flush against him as they kissed like no one was watching and without a care in the world. It just felt too good to hold each other again. They poured all their love into the lip-lock, starting their journey together exactly how they meant to go on.

Not even a loud growl from Appa or Momo flying over to land on Aangs shoulder brought the couple out of their hypnotic state. As far as Aang and Katara were concerned, the reception could start without them and they’d have no complaints.

Being in each other's embrace was all that they needed.

[x0401x]

If you have time, please listen to tsurune character songs. It's free on music streaming platform like spotify.

I wanted to know your opinion about Masaki’s solo “Moonlight” (月光 in Japanese) since masamina have so many scenes/official arts under the moonlight.

Oh, thanks for the tip! I actually really like the lyrics of this song??? There was a lot of thought put into it, starting with the title. As you've mentioned, the word "Moonlight" is very much a representation of a lot of things: Masaki, Yata-no-Mori and his relationship with Minato.

O winds, gather round hearts and carry them wherever you go O moon, shine down on their destination till the end of time Become a beacon so that they will never get lost

First of all, the fact that the song starts with a prayer is so like Masaki. Volume 3 often suggests that, as you'd expect of a priest, Masaki is always praying inwardly. He's actually been praying for Minato from the very first day they met.

This verse is a reference to the prologue of volume 1. When Minato heard a tsurune for the very first time in life (reminder that this was Masaki's grandfather's shot), he felt that it was like someone was singing, "o winds, gather round".

The part about the moon is basically about Masaki himself. As explained above, anything related to evening/night represents Masaki. The "hearts" are the Kazemai kids and Masaki is their "beacon".

When I'm standing all by myself, you quietly snuggle up to me Reminds me of the glister of fresh young leaves Staring fixatedly at both the past and tomorrow, up the way ahead that you've braved through As you walk with stacks upon stacks of dreams, You've brought on your back the spirit I once thought I'd lost And taught me that it was something beautiful

Wow, I wonder who that is about. Must point out that the third verse is also a novel reference, about the moment when Minato "lit a fire" in Masaki. To quote it directly, "'You can still hold the bow,' those eyes said".

Fluttering amidst the nightly wind, I welcome hope, And pass down my dreams and feelings Show me the new brilliance that has connected Each one of these buds, breathing heavy and green

The references continue! This one seems like a nod not just to the moment that Masaki decided to become a coach but also to the scene where he thanks Minato for enabling him to pass down the things he'd learned from his grandfather.

You know, I really gotta say it's funny how every novel reference in this song is about things and scenes that we never actually got in the anime. Unironically hysterical.

O winds of the future, which bear this much-wished desire, Dance, gather round hearts and carry them wherever you go O moon, shine down on their destination till the end of time If you can become a beacon so that they will never get lost and watch over them forever...

Starts with a prayer, ends with a prayer. I dig that shit. What a good song. Thanks for asking me to do this, Anon!